TRANSPORT

Disabled People

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in fulfilling its statutory obligation as a public body of promoting the rights of disabled people.

Gillian Merron: The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 placed new duties on public authorities to promote equality for disabled people, 'the Disability Equality Duty'.
	The Department for Transport is currently assessing its policies in accordance with the duty and the results of this exercise will be included in its Disability Equality Scheme (DES). The DES will set out how the Department intends to meet its duty to promote disability equality including the arrangements in place to assess the impact of its activities together with an action plan outlining how it intends to improve outcomes for disabled people.
	The Department for Transport is committed to an accessible public transport system in which disabled people have the same opportunities to travel as other members of society.
	A great deal has already been achieved in this area. For example, we have introduced regulations under part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) making all new rail vehicles, buses and coaches accessible. Over 4,400 compliant rail vehicles are already in service and almost half the bus fleet is accessible. These improvements have already had a significant impact on the day-to-day mobility of disabled people.
	We are also implementing the transport provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. The new Act contains measures amending the rail vehicle accessibility regime and will extend part 3 of the DDA 1995 (which deals with access to goods and services) to the operators of all land-based public transport, vehicle hire and breakdown services from 4 December 2006.
	Transport infrastructure, such as stations and airports, is already covered by these provisions which require service providers to remove obstacles that mean disabled people find it impossible or unreasonably difficult to access services. Policy initiatives, such as the recently announced "Access for All" fund (a £370 million ring-fenced resource available to improve access to railway stations) will provide further improvements.

Heathrow (Night Flights)

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Transport what studies he has undertaken intothe economic impact of removing the night time restrictions on flights at Heathrow.

Gillian Merron: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the then Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State on 28 November 2005,  Official Report, columns 1487-88W, to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Susan Kramer).

Railways

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the threat by GNER trains to take the Rail Regulator to court over the decision to allow Grand Central Railways to run a Sunderland to Teesside to London rail service.

Derek Twigg: It is for Great North Eastern Railway Ltd. to determine whether or not it has a case to seek a Judicial Review.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much it cost to run  (a) Haltwhistle and  (b) Cramlington railway station between January 2004 and January 2005.

Derek Twigg: Northern Rail estimates the running costs of each station to be £35,609 per annum.

Railways

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people travelled by train in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Office of Rail Regulation publishes rail usage information quarterly in National Rail Trends. The most recent publication covered quarter 3 2005-06 (October to December 2005) and showed there were 285 million passenger journeys in the quarter.

Road Safety

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on road safety of requiring drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicles at the roadside following a breakdown or accident; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what research he has  (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact on road safety of requiring drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicles at the roadside following a breakdown or accident; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what advice his Department has issued on action to be taken by motorists and their passengers when leaving a vehicle at the roadside in the event of an accident or breakdown on roads which do not have a hard shoulder;
	(4)  when his Department last reviewed the advice to motorists provided in the Highway Code on the action to be taken following an accident or breakdown at the roadside; when he expects the consultation process on revising the Highway Code to be completed; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which motorists follow existing guidance in the Highway Code on the action to be taken following an accident or breakdown at the roadside; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: We will continue to monitor experience in other countries that introduce legislation requiring drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicles at the roadside following a breakdown or accident. If clear evidence starts to emerge that it is beneficial, we would look again at the need to legislate.
	The Highway Code advises motorists and their passengers what action to take when leaving a vehicle at the roadside in the event of an accident or breakdown. The Department has also produced a leaflet, "A Guide to Safer Motorway Driving", which also covers breakdowns. This advises drivers and their passengers where to stand after a breakdown, so that they are least vulnerable to being hit by other vehicles.
	We have reviewed this advice as part of the current major revision of the Highway Code. The public consultation, which began on 15 February and ended on 12 May, includes proposed new advice to motorists in the section on breakdowns, which says
	"help other road users see you by wearing light coloured fluorescent clothing in daylight and reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility".
	We will now be considering all the responses to the consultation and the revised code should be issued next spring.
	No assessment has been made as to whether motorists follow the guidance in the Highway Code on actions to be taken following an accident. Although failure to comply with the non-statutory rules in the code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, the code may be used in any court proceedings under the traffic acts to establish liability.

Road Safety

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have  (a) been killed and  (b) seriously injured after leaving their vehicles atthe roadside following an accident or breakdown on(i) motorways and (ii) other trunk roads in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

Road Safety

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what research his Department  (a) has undertaken and  (b) plans to undertake into the reasons for trends in the seat belt wearing rate for car drivers between (i) October 1996 and October 1997,(ii) October 2002 and April 2003 and (iii) April and October 2005; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects the Great Britain car and van seat belt wearing percentage rates for April to be published; if he will place a copy in the Library when published; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: No such research has been undertaken or is planned.
	The table of seat belt wearing rates from the survey in April 2006 will be available soon. When it is published on the Department's website, a copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Road Safety

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) males and  (b) females received an exemption from the requirements of section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by (i) age group and (ii) reason for exemption; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected.

Road Safety

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the five locations on the A12 in Essex with the highest incidence of traffic accidents in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House. In addition, annual safety reports for the A12 are now available on the Highways Agency's website.

Road Safety

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons have been  (a) killed and  (b) seriously injured on the A12 in Essex in each of the past five years; and what the corresponding figure is in 2006 to date.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table shows the number of people killed and seriously injured on A12 in Essex over the last five years. The Highways Agency does not currently hold full accident details for the first quarter of 2006.
	
		
			  Accidents A12 Essex 
			   Fatal  Seriously injured 
			 2000 5 41 
			 2001 5 49 
			 2002 4 56 
			 2003 4 40 
			 2004 4 64 
			 2005 7 57 
			 2006 (1)1 — 
			 (1) To date.

Road Safety

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the revised guidance on speed limits for local authorities.

Stephen Ladyman: Guidance on setting local speed limits is currently contained in Circular Roads 1/93. The Department has consulted on a draft revision and this guidance will be published shortly.

SPECS Cameras

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) of 19 April 2006,  Official Report, column 709W, on SPECS cameras, if he will list the 16 core sites; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The 16 sites, broken down by safety camera partnership area and location, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Partnership name  Site name 
			 Nottinghamshire A52 / Radcliffe Road / Holme Pierrepont 
			 Nottinghamshire A52 / Saxondale 
			 Nottinghamshire A631 / MHI Hill / Gringley on the Hill 
			 Nottinghamshire A6514 / Ring Road / Nottingham 
			 Nottinghamshire B6004 / Arnold Road / Nottingham 
			 Nottinghamshire Edwards Lane / Nottingham 
			 Nottinghamshire A631 / Scaftworth 
			 Northamptonshire A43 / Lumbertubs Way / Northampton 
			 Northamptonshire A428 / Bedford Road (SPECS) 
			 Nottinghamshire A46 / Cotgrave 
			 Nottinghamshire A46 / Fosse Road / Farndon 
			 Nottinghamshire A52 / Bingham 
			 Nottinghamshire A610 / Bobbers Mil / Nottingham 
			 Nottinghamshire A52 / Grantham Road / Radcliffe on Trent 
			 South Yorkshire A616(T) / Stocksbridge Bypass / Barnsley 
			 Strathclyde A77 / Bogend Toll / Ardwell

SPECS Cameras

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) of 19 April 2006,  Official Report, column 709W, on SPECS cameras, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of SPECS cameras in  (a) reducing accidents and  (b) reducing (i) serious and (ii) minor injuries.

Stephen Ladyman: No specific assessment has beenmade of the effectiveness of SPECS time-over-distance cameras. However the independent four-year evaluation report of the national safety camera programme covered any SPECS cameras operating between April 2000 and March 2004. The independent academics concluded that SPECS cameras were equally as effective in reducing collisions and casualties as other fixed and red-light cameras. They also concluded that SPECS cameras have been particularly effective at reducing excessive speeds, which aredefined as 15 mph over the speed limit.

Station Security

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of the British Transport Police trial deployment of metal scanners at London stations.

Derek Twigg: "Operation Shield" was conceived as a high visibility Intelligence led policing tactic to tackle knife related crime and forms part of the British Transport Police's (BTP) strategy to reduce violence against the person. The BTP trialled the use of portable metal detecting scanners at London stations for a period of eight weeks from 6 February 2006. During the eight week trial 1,148 stops were carried out from a total of 9,728 people passing through the scanners. 107 arrests were made, of which 48 were for the possession of offensive weapons. The operation is now being rolled-out nationally, across England, Scotland and Wales. It will be deployed on specific pre-planned intelligence-led operations as and when appropriate.

Traffic Growth

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions of traffic growth up to 2021 for housing expansion in north Northamptonshire are being used by his Department in discussions with the growth areas directorate in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Stephen Ladyman: The review of the East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy provides the overall framework for assessing and planning for housing and other growth in Northamptonshire.
	It is for local authorities to develop detailed forecasts of traffic growth. Northamptonshire have commissioned a series of transportation studies to identify a broader package of transport measures to achieve the modal shift required to enable the scale of growth envisaged in Northamptonshire and surrounding areas to be delivered in a sustainable manner.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-Generalwhat percentage of his private office staff are  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled.

Mike O'Brien: My noble Friend the Attorney-General and I share a private office. As of12 May 2006, expressed as a percentage as requested, the breakdown is 80 per cent. female and 20 per cent. male. None are registered disabled.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his private office in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The Law Officers have no special advisers.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Early-day Motions

Robert Wilson: To ask the hon. Member forNorth Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will estimate the cost of tabling an early-day motion, including printing and clerical costs.

Nick Harvey: Costs of processing early-day motions (EDMs) include the time of Clerks in vetting motions, costs of staff entering the data and costs of printing and publishing, which depend on the number of times motions are reprinted. EDMs vary in length and complexity and the number of names to them may be one or many. Processing and printing EDMs is only one of a number of tasks carried out by the staff involved and no realistic disaggregation can be made which can give a cost for all aspects of processing a single EDM. The best estimate available of the overall costs of printing and publishing early-day motions in 2005-06 is £627,000, giving an average printing and publishing cost per EDM of £290.

Line of Route

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many visitors have been given conducted tours of the line of route, broken downby tours  (a) organised by the Central Tours Office, (b) conducted by an hon. Member,  (c) conducted by a Member of the House of Lords,  (d) conducted by staff of an hon. Member and  (e) conducted by staff of either House in the most recent two years for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: The numbers of visitors given conducted tours of the visitor route organised by the Central Tours Office (CTO) during the summer opening to the public in 2004-05 was 93,314 andin 2005-06 was 79,170. The numbers of visitors throughout the year on tours organised on behalf of hon. Members of both Houses by the CTO in 2004-05 was 113,815 and in 2005-06 was 108,089, of which approximately 6 per cent. were estimated to be in respect of Members of the House of Lords. Members of both Houses, their staff and staff of both Houses are able to conduct tours themselves for up to six guests at a time without booking; there are no data on the number of visitors under these arrangements.

Telephone Bill

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the telephone bill for the House of Commons was in each year since 1989.

Nick Harvey: Details of the cash expenditure incurred on telephone services by the House of Commons is not available prior to 2001. The figuresfor the last five financial years are:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2001-02 2,145 
			 2002-03 2,558 
			 2003-04 2,979 
			 2004-05 2,668 
			 2005-06 2,342

TREASURY

Corporation Tax

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use of low profit-making companies incorporated for the purposes of the avoidance of corporation tax.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 12 May 2006
	The Government are not aware of any self-employed businesses that would incorporate for the purposes of avoiding corporation tax.
	The associated companies rules prevent companies that fragment into many lower-profit companies from benefiting from lower rates of corporation tax.

EU (UK Contributions)

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury's statement in the debate on future EU finances and own reserves on 8 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 134-5WS, what estimate he has made of the difference in the UK abatement in the new EU financial perspective compared with what it would have been if calculated using the mechanism in place prior to December 2005.

Edward Balls: As agreed in the December Council Conclusions, the cost to the UK compared to the application of the current Own Resources would be limited to €10.5 billion (£6.9 billion) in 2004 prices.

EU Agriculture Budget

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the EU budget will be spent on agriculture in each of the years from 2007 to 2013; and if he will break down the spending between pillar 1 and pillar 2 spending in each year.

Edward Balls: In its information fiche, dated 11 April, the EU Commission gives an indicative breakdown of expenditure (2004 prices) for 2007 to 2013 in respect of agriculture, as follows:
	
		
			   2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  Total 
			  Agriculture: direct aids and market support (Pillar 1) 
			 € billion 43.120 42.697 42.279 41.864 41.453 41.047 40.645 293.105 
			 Share of total EU budget (percentage) 35.7 35.1 34.5 34.0 33.4 32.7 32.0 33.9 
			  
			  Rural Development (Pillar 2) 
			 € billion 10.710 10.447 10.185 9.955 9.717 9.483 9.253 69.750 
			 Share of total EU budget (percentage) 8.9 8.6 8.3 8.1 7.8 7.6 7.3 8.1

Home Computer Initiative

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 3 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 1718-21W, on the Home Computer Initiative, what criteria were used in deciding to group questions from hon. Members on the Home Computer Initiative; and what account was taken of the relevant provisions of the ministerial code in reaching this decision.

Dawn Primarolo: The questions concerned were grouped to enable a full, substantive statement to be made to the House.

Inheritance Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written representations he has received since January protesting about inheritance tax; and if he will make a statement;

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the treatment of  (a) accumulation and maintenance trusts and  (b) interest in possession trusts for the purposes of inheritance tax;

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have received a number of written representations about the tax system, including inheritance tax and the lax treatment of trusts.

Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision has been made for pension fund deficits in privatised utilities where the pension scheme is guaranteed by the Government.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Eastbourne(Mr. Waterson) on 3 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1723W.

Pensions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the changein the number of pensioners paying income taxsince 1997.

John Healey: Information on the estimated number people paying income tax who are of state pension age can be found in table 2.1 'Number of individual taxpayers' on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2_1.xls

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support his Department has provided to pro-democracy groups related to Burma in the last three financial periods.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has not provided any support directly to pro-democracy groups related to Burma in the last three financial periods. One of our four objectives in Burma is "increased prospects for successful transition to a democratic society". DFID is aiming to achieve this through support to participatory decision-making, constructive dialogue, innovation and other work to build capacity and institutions that will assist Burma's transition by, for example, integrating such approaches into our activities focused on livelihoods, health and education.

Millennium Development Goals

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Hilary Benn: DFID's public service agreements are based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Progress was reported in DFID's Departmental Report which was presented to Parliament on 9 May 2006. It is available in the Library of the House of Commons and on the DFID website (www.dfid.gov.uk).
	There has been some progress towards the MDGs but not enough. In Africa there has been a reduction in the numbers of people living in poverty and in child deaths, increasing economic growth, and more children getting into school. HIV is also falling or stabilising in some African countries. Much more needs to be done, however, particularly on maternal mortality, girls' education and HIV. In Asia there has been progress in reducing income poverty. The number of children dying before their fifth birthday is decreasing and the number of children being cured of tuberculosis is increasing in many Asian countries. More progress is needed, however, if all the MDGs are to be achieved in Asia, particularly on gender equity.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Avian Influenza

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long it took from the confirmation of the recent outbreak of avian influenza among poultry to dispose of the carcases; how the carcases were disposed of; and what measures were taken to ensure that the carcases did not enter the food chain.

Ben Bradshaw: Poultry on the three premises involved in the recent outbreak of H7N3 avian influenza were slaughtered on suspicion of infection, based on preliminary laboratory results. Killing commenced on all three sites before disease was confirmed and the carcases were transported to off-site disposal facilities in biosecure, leakproof lorries within 24 hours of the culling operation. Disposal was by rendering and incineration. Each load was escorted by the state veterinary service to the disposal facility and destruction was confirmed by an official.

Avian Influenza

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are in place for the mass disposal of carcases in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza; and what estimate the Government have made of  (a) the number of birds which would need to be disposed of and  (b) the maximum disposal capacity available.

Ben Bradshaw: The arrangements for mass disposal of carcases in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza are laid out in our Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan. Commercial fixed plant incineration or rendering will be the first options for mass disposal of carcases. If incineration and rendering capacity has been exhausted, it may be necessary to consider the use of approved commercial landfill or on-farm burial. Mass pyres will not be used. My Department has already put in place arrangements with animal incinerator and rendering companies to ensure the minimum delay should there be an outbreak of the disease.
	The disease control policies are set out in the Contingency Plan and it is our policy to cull birds only where this is justified and on the basis of sound veterinary, epidemiological and scientific advice. Any estimate of the number of birds which would need to be culled depends on these factors and the nature of this advice at the time. Key factors will include the virus strain, its pathogenicity, the location of the 'disease outbreak and international developments.
	The available incineration and rendering capacity at any time will depend on the location of the outbreak, the time of year, breakdowns and other demands. Some 2,500 tonnes per week (equivalent to approximately 1.25 million chickens) would be available very quickly and a further 10-15,000 tonnes per week could be brought on stream within about two weeks.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average level of infection has been of  (a) the H7 strain of avian influenza,  (b) the H5N1 strain of avian influenza and  (c) all other strains of avian influenza found in flocks during outbreaks.

Ben Bradshaw: The infection rate within a flock will depend on the stage at which infection or disease is detected. The rate of spread and local epidemiology within a poultry population will be dependent on many factors, but once the virus is introduced into a holding its rate of spread within the flock will be strongly influenced by the host species, the virus strain and the production type. These factors are consistent in their impact for rates of infection in terms of different virus serotypes where rates typically approach 100 per cent.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the detected infection rates for the H7 strain of avian influenza in  (a) the UK and  (b) other countries.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has received a range of representations on this subject.
	The Veterinary Laboratory Agency (VLA) is world renowned for its avian influenza testing work. As the International Reference Laboratory for avian influenza, the VLA verifies other countries' test results. It is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in veterinary research.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with scientists in Scandinavia on the UK's regime for testing for  (a) the H7 strain,  (b) the H5N1 strain and  (c) all other strains of avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: As an international reference laboratory—and especially as the EU community reference laboratory for avian influenza—the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has frequent discussions with its counterparts overseas. The Agency takes a leading role in developing and defining standards and keeps abreast of the latest information.
	Recent contact has been made with the relevant national laboratory in Sweden and a private laboratory in Sweden that conducts independent surveillance in wild bird populations. The national laboratory follows EU guidelines in its work to which the VLA makes a significant contribution. The private laboratory uses different sampling regimes which have not been validated to an international standard and lack comparative data with standard regimes.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of other countries' experiences of outbreaks of avian influenza in preparing the UK's (a) testing regime and  (b) biosecurity measures; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We have worked very closely with the European Commission and all other member states on both the UK testing regime for avian influenza and the requirement for biosecurity measures for poultry keepers. We have also used the experiences of other countries to inform our assessment of the risk to UK poultry. We will continue to assess and review both testing procedures and biosecurity measures in the light of new developments.

Badger Casualties (Bovine TB)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the National Assembly for Wales on the analysis of data from roadside casualties of badgers regarding bovine TB studies; and if she will take steps to provide for the results to be jointly collated and issued in a combined report.

Ben Bradshaw: My Department holds discussions with the Welsh Assembly on a variety of issues. There are no plans to collate the results of the Road Traffic Accident surveys.

Biotech Products

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department received the documents  (a) Comments by the European Communities on the Scientific and Technical Advice to the Panel, Geneva, 28 January 2005 and  (b) Further scientific or technical evidence in response to the other parties comments by the European Communities, Geneva, 10 February 2005, relating to the European Communities—Measures Affecting the Approval and Marketing of Biotech Products (DS291, DS292, DS293).

Ian Pearson: The document entitled "Comments by the European Communities on the Scientific and Technical Advice to the Panel, Geneva, 28 January 2005" was made available to Defra officials on 1 February 2005. The submission "Further scientific or technical evidence in response to other parties comments by the European Communities, Geneva, 10 February 2005" was provided to Defra officials on 11 February 2005.

Chewing Gum

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the £600,000 provided by the Chewing Gum Action Group will be divided between the pilot areas; and how the pilot areas are dividing their funding between advertising, alternative disposal and enforcement related measures.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 May 2006
	The Chewing Gum Action Group funding provided to the 15 local authority areas is to be used solely to supply the paid advertising element of the campaigns. This will be complemented by local activity, funded by the individual local authorities, which will include enforcement and alternative disposal solutions.
	The Chewing Gum Action Group funding has been divided between each local authority based on the advertising space available in the geographical area of the campaign, and the cost of advertising in that specific area.

Chewing Gum

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the Chewing Gum Action Group pilots in 2006 will differ from the pilot campaigns carried out in 2005 in terms of the techniques employed to reduce gum litter.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 May 2006
	As the Chewing Gum Action Group campaigns in 2006 are based on the successful pilot campaigns in 2005, the techniques employed to reduce gum litter will remain the same and will focus on paid advertising, education and awareness raising, visible enforcement, and alternative disposal solutions.

Chewing Gum

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria will be used to measure success in the Chewing Gum Action Group pilot areas in 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 May 2006
	The success of the campaign, both in terms of reduced levels of gum deposited on the streets and in the effect on attitudes and awareness, will be recorded and analysed. The Chewing Gum Action Group is currently working with a research agency to formulate this analysis. This will be finalised by the end ofMay 2006.

Departmental Staff

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff are employed by her Department in  (a) personnel and  (b) media, press and public information.

Barry Gardiner: The number of staff employed on31 March 2006 by DEFRA in the areas requested was as follows:
	 (a) Human Resources employed a total of 207 staff (200 full-time equivalents). This included 53 staff(51.4 FTE) employed in Learning and Development, Diversity and Equality and Occupational Support and Advisory teams.
	 (b) DEFRA's Press Office, which deals with media and press, employed a total of 33 staff (32.4 FTE). This included Press Officers, Planning team, administrative support staff, and senior managers. DEFRA recently set up a Customer Contact Unit to centralise provision of information to the public in response to correspondence, public enquiries, and responses to Parliamentary Questions. This employed 65 staff on31 March 2006. This figure does not include staff employed on telephone helplines. Staff elsewhere in the Department may also be involved in the provision of public information in specific areas; a figure onthe number of staff involved in this respect is notheld centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the staff in his Department is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled, broken down by grade.

Barry Gardiner: The following table outlines the position in DEFRA at 1 April 2006:
	
		
			  DEFRA and Executive Agencies 
			  Percentage 
			   Male  Female  Disabled 
			 SCS 74 26 2 
			 Grade 6 71 29 5 
			 Grade 7 65 35 4 
			 SEO 64 36 4 
			 HEO 55 45 6 
			 EO 45 55 7 
			 AO 39 61 8 
			 AA 43 57 11 
			 Total 49 51 7

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what opportunities exist for people to work beyond retirement age in his Department.

Barry Gardiner: The default retirement age for all staff in DEFRA is 60. However the following provisions apply that allow staff below the senior civil service (SCS) to work beyond 60.
	 Short Service Concession
	This applies to staff who have less than 20 years reckonable service. Staff may be retained until they either reach 65 or attain 20 years service, whichever is sooner, subject to continued satisfactory performance and efficiency.
	 Elective retirement
	Staff may elect to stay beyond 60 to a maximum age of 65 where there is a clear organisational need, and subject to continued satisfactory performance and efficiency.
	 Short term extensions
	Exceptionally, it is possible for staff to be retained for an additional six months having reached retirement age where there is a clear business requirement, and the individual wants to stay.
	 Senior Civil Service
	Heads of departments and Agency chief executives may retain the services of members of the SCS if it is considered to be in the public interest, and they are satisfied with their performance and efficiency.
	The retirement provisions are currently under revision to meet the requirements of the Employment Equality (Age) Legislation.

Equal Pay

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) women and  (b) men are employed in the Department; what the average pay was for (i) women and (ii) men in the Department in (A) 1997 and(B) 2006; what women's average pay is as a percentage of men's average pay; and how many (1) women and (2) men the Department employed in each of the last five years, broken down by grade.

Barry Gardiner: Defra was created on 9 June 2001 and the information given relates to the period since then.
	The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the Civil Service by Department. These include data on the employment of men and women. Information on the numbers of women and men employed in the Civil Service at31 December 2005 is available in the Library and on the Civil Service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/emplovment/index.asp
	The earliest readily available pay data split by gender since the creation of Defra is held in the 2003 Equal Pay Review, which covered staff below the Senior Civil Service in the core Department, the Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate Executive Agencies.
	 (A) 2002-03 average pay:
	(i) Women £20,770
	(ii) Men £25,186
	Women's average pay as a percentage of men's average pay was 82.5 per cent.
	The review found that there were no significant pay gaps within the Department, provided that Defra's multi-year pay settlement was fully rolled out for future years up to and including 2005/2006. The final year of the settlement was rolled out last year and runs until the end of June 2006.
	(B) For 2006, the average pay for men and women on core-Department terms and conditions (core-Defra, PSD, VMD, SVS, MFA and GDS—the latter three Agencies were created since the 2003 Equal Pay Review and were previously included within the core-Department) was as follows:
	(i) Women £26,194
	(ii) Men £30,135
	Women's average pay as a percentage of men's average pay was 86.9 per cent.
	The average pay for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency was as follows:
	 (A) 2001 average pay
	(i) Women £17,168
	(ii) Men £22,421
	Women's average pay as a percentage of men's average pay was 76.6 per cent.
	 (B) 2005 average pay
	(i) Women £20,706
	(ii) Men £26,195
	Women's average pay as a percentage of men's average pay was 79.0 per cent.
	The average pay for the Senior Civil Service was as follows:
	 2005 Average pay
	(i) Women £73,403
	(ii) Men £75,578
	Women's average pay as a percentage of men's average pay was 97.1 per cent.
	Data for other years could be obtained only by incurring disproportionate cost.
	Average pay figures for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, the Central Science Laboratory and the Rural Payments Agency areeither unavailable or could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of women and men employed on a permanent basis in the Department and its Agencies on 1 April of each year since 2002 is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  1 April 2002 
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff (headcount)  All staff (full-time equivalent) 
			  Grade equivalent  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 SCS 124 29 153 2 4 6 125.7 32.1 157.8 
			 Grade 6 147 23 170 1 11 12 147.6 30.5 178.1 
			 Grade 7 493 136 629 5 26 31 497.0 155.8 652.8 
			 SEO 802 290 1,092 24 96 120 820.0 359.3 1,179.3 
			 HEO 1,013 608 1,621 12 149 161 1,021.8 713.0 1,734.8 
			 EO 1,461 1,301 2,762 21 245 266 1,475.1 1,487.5 2,962.6 
			 AO 1,618 2,141 3,759 33 420 453 1,644.2 2,451.8 4,096.0 
			 AA 596 745 1,341 26 209 235 613.3 874.6 1,487.9 
			 Unreported 10 5 15 1 0 1 10.9 5.0 15.9 
			 Total 6,264 5,278 11,542 125 1,160 1,285 6,355.6 6,109.6 12,465.2 
		
	
	
		
			  1 April 2003 
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff (headcount)  All staff (full-time equivalent) 
			  Grade equivalent  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 SCS 140 27 167 1 6 7 140.9 31.6 172.5 
			 Grade 6 158 23 181 2 10 12 159.5 31.2 190.7 
			 Grade 7 524 151 675 5 39 44 527.7 178.6 706.3 
			 SEO 798 287 1,085 29 99 128 820.6 355.4 1,176.0 
			 HEO 1,187 732 1,919 24 185 209 1,204.8 856.9 2,061.7 
			 EO 1,325 1,184 2,509 21 246 267 1,338.2 1,349.2 2,687.4 
			 AO 1,514 1,944 3,458 42 471 513 1,543.5 2,248.3 3,791.8 
			 AA 599 707 1,306 22 195 217 613.2 825.7 1,438.9 
			 Unreported 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Total 6,245 5,055 11,300 146 1,251 1,397 6,348.4 5,876.9 12,225.3 
		
	
	
		
			  1 April 2004 
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff (headcount)  All staff (full-time equivalent) 
			  Grade equivalent  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 SCS 146 36 182 2 7 9 147.6 40.9 188.5 
			 Grade 6 179 40 219 2 12 14 180.6 49.8 230.4 
			 Grade 7 544 183 727 10 43 53 551.1 214.5 765.6 
			 SEO 845 334 1,179 29 115 144 866.6 414.0 1,280.6 
			 HEO 1,242 805 2,047 30 213 243 1,264.3 951.0 2,215.3 
			 EO 1,403 1,282 2,685 32 282 314 1,424.8 1,470.5 2,895.3 
			 AO 1,628 2,032 3,660 60 549 609 1,668.8 2,384.9 4,053.7 
			 AA 486 557 1,043 26 214 240 503.4 685.4 1,188.8 
			 Unreported 1 0 1 0 0 0 1.0 0.0 1.0 
			 Total 6,474 5,269 11,743 191 1,435 1,626 6,608.2 6,211.0 12,819.2 
		
	
	
		
			  1 April 2005 
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff (headcount)  All staff (full-time equivalent) 
			  Grade equivalent  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 SCS 155 45 200 3 7 10 157.0 49.5 206.5 
			 Grade 6 186 61 247 4 17 21 188.8 74.0 262.8 
			 Grade 7 564 234 798 10 50 60 571.4 270.9 842.3 
			 SEO 869 380 1,249 31 105 136 891.7 453.3 1,345.0 
			 HEO 1,257 893 2,150 30 188 218 1,279.1 1,018.2 2,297.3 
			 EO 1,279 1,279 2,558 25 287 312 1,296.4 1,468.1 2,764.5 
			 AO 1,363 1,831 3,194 50 531 581 1,399.3 2,169.4 3,568.7 
			 AA 373 368 741 22 195 217 387.5 484.5 872.0 
			 Unreported 41 17 58 0 0 0 41.0 17.0 58.0 
			 Total 6,087 5,108 11,195 175 1,380 1,555 6,212.2 6,004.9 12,217.1

Departmental Televisions

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Minister's private offices and  (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department.

Barry Gardiner: To identify all of the television sets in use across my Department would be very difficult to achieve with such a diverse estate of buildings and locations. I have therefore limited my reply to the major Headquarters sites of London, Guildford and York. The following table summarises the current position.
	
		
			  Location  Quantity 
			 Eastbury House 10 
			 Page Street 13 
			 Nobel complex 55 
			 Whitehall Place 11 
			 Guildford 9 
			 York 4 
			 Total 102 
			 Those in use by Minister's Private Offices 14 
			 TV Licenses held 6

Energy Efficiency

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what temperature  (a) the heating thermostat is set to in winter and  (b) the air conditioning is set to in summer in his Department's main London office.

Barry Gardiner: The temperature of the heating in the main London office is set at 21 degrees C in the winter.
	There is no air-conditioning in the Department's main London office, it is cooled by natural ventilation.

Entry Level Scheme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers qualified for the Entry Level Scheme; how many of those have  (a) applied and  (b) qualified for the Higher Level Scheme; how much has been paid out for that scheme; how much is allocated in total; what the timetable is for making such payments; and whether he expects payments to be made on time.

Barry Gardiner: Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) is open to all farmers and land managers; it is not competitive and acceptance is guaranteed providing scheme requirements can be met. As of 11 May, almost 19,500 agreements have been entered into under Entry Level or the Organic Entry Level strands of Environmental Stewardship.
	Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) is a competitive scheme and applicants are required to deliver specific environmental benefits in high priority situations. Entry into ELS or Organic ELS is generally a pre-requisite for a HLS agreement. As at 11 May, there have been 1,172 HLS applications, and there are now 575 HLS agreements up and running.
	The first annual payments for HLS agreement holders will not become due until February 2007, though mid-year HLS payments for those agreements that started in February 2006, become due in August 2006. HLS capital claims are due for payment once work has been completed; as at 11 May 2006, six capital claims have been paid with a total value of just over £37,000. Over £3 million has been allocated in 2006-07 to cover the cost of signed agreements. Payments under HLS are expected to be made on time.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will name the premises designated 'Dangerous Contact 1' during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak; why they were subsequently removed from the list of dangerous contacts; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Premises with animals originally classified as dangerous contacts (DCs) may have been subsequently confirmed as having the disease, either on clinical grounds or from laboratory tests. On confirmation of disease they will have been placed on the published list of Infected Premises.
	As a definitive list of DCs was not published, it is unclear which premises the hon. Gentleman is referring to. If he will write to me with further details I will provide him with a fuller response.

Foul Odours

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which (a) registration and  (b) regulations govern prosecutions for creating a nuisance involving foul odours; and which body is responsible for pursuing such a prosecution.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 May 2006
	Under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a duty to check their areas periodically for existing and potential statutory nuisances, and to take reasonably practicable steps to investigate complaints of statutory nuisances, including any dust, steam, smell or other effluvia arising on industrial, trade or business premises and being prejudicial to health or a nuisance. A premises may be a dwelling, place of business, land, beach, vesselor sea.
	Once satisfied that a statutory nuisance exists, or may occur or recur, a local authority must issue an abatement notice requiring that the nuisance be ceased or abated within a specified timescale. It is an offence to breach or fail to comply with an abatement notice. Upon summary conviction through the courts, fines of up to 5,000 for domestic premises and 20,000 for industrial, trade and industry premises may be issued.
	Some plants and processes that have the potential for emissions of offensive odours are regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations, which are enforced by either the Environment Agency or local authorities depending on the type of installation. Plants and processes that are covered by these regulations are not subject to the statutory nuisance regime, in order to remove double jeopardy.
	Defra recently published the Code of Practice on Odour Nuisance from Sewage Treatment Work. This aims to provide a framework under the statutory nuisance regime in England and Wales within which the appropriate regulators and sewerage undertakers can operate to minimise the likelihood and nuisance from odours. The code is available on the Defra website.
	In addition, Regulation (EC) 1774/2002 (enforced by the Animal By-Products Regulations 2005) lays down the rules for the collection, transport, storage, handling, processing and use or disposal of animal by-products in order to prevent these products from posing a risk to animal and public health. Plants that process material of animal origin are required to be approved by the Secretary of State in accordance with the regulation. The regulation also requires that animal by-products be transported in sealed new packaging or covered leak-proof containers or vehicles and that they be processed without undue delay.
	Vehicles on public highways are not premises within the statutory nuisance regime on odour. Emissions from new vehicles are regulated by means of the Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) Regulations 1998 or the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) Regulations 1982. Emissions from in service vehicles are regulated by means of Regulation 61 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 as amended.
	In addition, vehicles driven in a careless or anti-social manner (that is causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress) may be seized by the police under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

Hunting Act

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to introduce an Order to vary the exemptions within the Hunting Act 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Government have no plans to bring forward proposals to vary the exemptions within the Hunting Act 2004.

Icelandic Fishing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was awarded as compensation for the loss of Icelandic fishing, broken down by port of origin of recipient; how many individuals received awards; how much was deducted from compensation payable for exgratia redundancy payments; and how many fishermen were subject to such deductions.

Ben Bradshaw: A total of 42.4 million has been paid by DTI in compensation to date. Although the scheme has long since closed, some limited processing of claims remains. The IT system used does not record the port of origin and it is not practical or cost effective to produce this information manually. Some limited information is however available on the basis of beneficiaries' current locations. This gives the following totals:
	
		
			million 
			 Hull 18.6 
			 Grimsby 6 
			 Cleethorpes 1.7 
			 Fleetwood 3.2 
		
	
	In all, 5,366 payments have been made thus far, with total deductions of 7.4 million in respect of exgratia redundancy payments to some 3,268 fishermen.

Insect Repellents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the status of insect repellents is under the REACH regulations; and what assessment she has made of the impact ofthe regulations on manufacturers in the UK, with particular reference to animal testing.

Ian Pearson: If an active substance of an insect repellent has been assessed and approved for use in either plant protection products or in biocidal products in accordance with existing European Union legislation (Directive 91/414/EEC or Directive 98/8/EC), then the active substance is considered as registered and exempted from authorisation under REACH.
	If not exempt, substances on their own or in preparations manufactured in quantities of over 1 tonne per manufacturer per year will have to be registered with the new European Chemicals Agency. Registration requires the submission of basic information on these substances, some of which may be generated through testing on animals if the information is not available elsewhere.
	The text of the Political Agreement of December 2005 introduces a number of amendments aimed at minimising the amount of animal testing required and reducing the costs on industry, for example through the incorporation of One Substance, One Regulation (OSOR), a UK proposal with strong rules on the mandatory sharing of animal test data by companies.

Low-Frequency Noise

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to increase local authority access to means of detecting and locating the source of low-frequency noise.

Ben Bradshaw: Detecting and locating the source of low frequency noise can be extremely challenging. Disturbance can occur at levels only slightly higher than the hearing threshold and its effects can therefore vary from one individual to the next.
	To help local authorities and environmental health practitioners investigate disturbances caused by low frequency noise, DEFRA commissioned the University of Salford to develop proposed criteria and a methodology for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints.
	The University's report, 'Procedure for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints,' was published in February 2005. It is now available on the DEFRA website:http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/research/lowfrequency/pdf/nanr45-procedure.pdf

Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking in conjunction with local authorities to meet European Union targets on nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Ben Bradshaw: The First Air Quality Daughter Directive (1999/30/EC) sets binding limit values for nitrogen dioxide; a one hour mean (200 microgramme/m(3)) and an annual mean (40 microgramme/m(3)) to be met by 2010.
	Action is being taken at international, national and local level to tackle air pollution. We are involved in a number of international and European fora in dealing with air quality issues. We are currently negotiating a new ED Air Quality Directive. We are also currently negotiating further .stringent reductions to European emission standards on nitrogen dioxide and particles (PM-10) for light duty vehicles.
	Nationally, we are undertaking a review of the Air Quality Strategy (AQS) to identify potential new additional measures to move us closer to meeting the national air quality objectives, which are similar or tighter than the ED limit and target values, and at the same time generating cost-effective health benefits. An AQS consultation document was published on 5 April 2006 and can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/airqualstrat-review/index.htm. The consultation period finishes on 11 July 2006.
	At the local level, local authorities also have a role to play in helping the Government deliver cleaner air. Local authorities have a duty to review and assess the air quality against nationally prescribed air quality objectives for seven main air pollutants. Where local authorities consider that one or more of the air quality objectives is unlikely to be met by the relevant deadline, they must declare an air quality management area (AQMA), covering the area where the problem is expected. These local authorities must then take action, along with other agencies and organisations, to work towards meeting the air quality objectives.

Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the nitrogen dioxide emission statistics for  (a) Marylebone Road,  (b) Brompton Road and  (c) Cromwell Road were in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The following are annual nitrogen dioxide concentration statistics based on automatic air quality measurement data for London Marylebone and Cromwell roads over the period 2001-05. Data for Brompton Road have been provided by the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
	
		
			  Marylebone Road 
			  Statistic  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Annual average (micrograms per metre cubed) 84 80 107 110 112 
			 Number of exceedences of hourly EU limit value(1) 60 2 471 542 853 
		
	
	
		
			  Cromwell Road 
			  Statistic  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Annual average (micrograms per metre cubed). 76 72 75 80 79 
			 Number of exceedences of hourly EU limit value(1) 2 0 6 3 9 
		
	
	
		
			  Knightsbridge (LAQN) Brompton Road site 
			  Statistic  2001  2002  2003  2004 ( 2) 2005 
			 Annual average (micrograms per metre cubed). 84 86 93 87 90 
			 Number of exceedences of hourly EU limit value(1) 97 154 235 254 288 
			 Data capture  90 per cent. in each case (1) 200 micrograms per metre cubed hourly mean limit value not to be exceeded more than 18 times per year (2) 2005 Knightsbridge data is provisional 
		
	
	Data for London Marylebone and Cromwell roads are available from the National Air Quality Information Archive www.airquality.co.uk and data for Brompton Road are available from the London Air Quality Network website www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/home.asp.

Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on air quality standards in central London, with particular reference to nitrogen oxide emissions.

Ben Bradshaw: The national Air Quality Strategy, published in 2000, sets a one hour mean air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide of 200 micrograms per cubic metre not to be exceeded more than 18 times per year and an annual mean of 40 micrograms per cubic metre, both to be achieved by 31 December 2005. These objectives are to be achieved sooner than the equivalent EU limit values which have to be met by 2010.
	The Greater London Authority Act 1999 gave the Mayor responsibility for improving air quality in London. The Mayor published his Air Quality Strategy for London in September 2002, setting out his proposals for implementation of the policies in the national Air Quality Strategy and achievement of the objectives prescribed in regulations. London local authorities have to take account of the Mayor's Strategy when carrying out their local air quality management duties.
	Under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995, currently 30 out of the 33 London local authorities have declared air quality management areas in respect of nitrogen dioxide mainly relating to road transport emissions.

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what agreements the Government has entered into with  (a) EU and (b) other international organisations on the use of perfluorooctane sulfonate.

Ian Pearson: On 5 December 2005, the European Commission published a proposal for a Directive (76/769/EC) relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOSs). While the UK welcomes the proposals we do not feel that they go far enough, and the UK is working to strengthen these proposals.
	We have reached agreement with member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the hazard profile of PFOS see www.oecd.org/dataoecd/23/18/2382880.pdf
	We are also working to have PFOS agreed asa persistent organic pollutant and subject to international controls under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the UNECE Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Rural Payments Agency

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been of Rural Payment Agency (RPA) services supplied to the National Fallen Stock Company since it was established; and what assessment she has made of the RPA's relationship with the company.

Barry Gardiner: The total cost of RPA services supplied to the National Fallen Stock Company to the end of March 2006 was 3,424,798.78. This can be broken down into 2,481,211.10 for scheme set-up costs (including IT development) and 943,587,68 for scheme running costs.
	The RPA has provided the company with an efficient day to day administration of the scheme and has played a major role in establishing the scheme in co-operation with the company.

Rural Payments Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many telephone calls have been made to the Rural Payments Agency's Customer Service Centre in  (a) each ofthe last 12 months and  (b) the period commencing13 April 2006; how many calls in each period have gone unanswered; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The figures in the table show calls to the main RPA Customer Service Number 0845 603 7777 only. This line is the main customer telephone number for all subsidy and SPS related calls. RPA operate several other call lines.
	
		
			   Calls offered to 0845 603 7777  Number unanswered  Percentage unanswered 
			 May 2005(1) 93,346 8,705 9.33 
			 June 2005(1) 24,496 267 1.09 
			 July 2005(1) 20,199 247 1.22 
			 August 2005 20,780 218 1.05 
			 September 2005 21,752 249 1.14 
			 October 2005 26,150 317 1.21 
			 November 2005 26,289 1,168 (2)4.44 
			 December 2005 18,725 187 1.00 
			 January 2006 26,628 185 0.69 
			 February 2006 28,322 175 0.62 
			 March 2006 52,748 450 0.85 
			 April 2006 68,684 281 0.41 
			 13 April to8 May 2008 89,218 338 0.38 
			 (1) May, June and July 2005 figures are an amalgamation of statistics collected from several call centre systems and represent our best estimate. (2) The November 2005 figure was the result of a high volume of calls and repeat calls on a day during an emergency evacuation of the call centre.

Rural Payments Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many requests the Rural Payments Agency received  (a) before 13 April 2006 and  (b) on or since 13 April 2006 for claim forms for the 2006-07 Single Payment Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Applicants do not have to request a Single Payment Scheme (SPS) application form, as these are automatically issued to all previous SPS claimants.

Rural Payments Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of potential applicants under the 2006-07 Single Payments Scheme to whom the Rural Payments Agency did not send a claim form before 13 April 2006 having been asked to do so; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: 33,902 Single Payment Scheme application forms were issued to potential applicants by the Rural Payments Agency on or since 13 April 2006.

Rural Payments Agency

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had on deferring of the deadline for applications to the Rural Payments Agency for single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: My noble. Friend Lord Bach, the former Minister with responsibility for sustainable farming and food has over the last two months met weekly with the Presidents of the National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association and the Tenant Farmers Association to discuss Single Payment Scheme (SPS) issues. An outcome of these discussions is that although farmers should continue to aim to meet the 15 May deadline for SPS applications, late claim penalties will not be applied to applications received between 15 and 31 May. Applications submitted between 1 and 9 June will attract the normal 1 per cent. per working day penalty and any applications submitted after 9 June will be rejected.

Single Farm Payments

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had concerning the position of those who are yet to receive their Single Farm Payments but are expected to submit their application forms for the following year by 15 May; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: My noble Friend Lord Bach, the former Parliamentary Under Secretary, had for the last two months met weekly with the Presidents of the National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association and the Tenant Farmers Association to discuss Single Payment Scheme (SPS) issues. An outcome of these discussions is that although farmers should continue to aim to meet the 15 May deadline for SPS applications, late claim penalties will not be applied to applications received between 15 and31 May. Applications submitted between 1 and 9 June will attract the normal 1 per cent. per working day penalty and any applications submitted after 9 June will be rejected.

Single Farm Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms are affected by the delay in payment of single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: By close of business on 4 May 2005 58,000 single payment scheme (SPS) claims had received a full payment.
	The Secretary of State announced on 9 May that some 730 million would be paid in the next week in the form of a substantial partial payment. Once this sum has been paid there will remain around 31,000 claimants who will not have received a payment. Some 26,000 of these claimants are due to receive a payment amounting to less than 1,000. Making full payments to the 5,000 farmers due to receive more than 1,000 will now be given the highest priority by the Rural Payments Agency.

Single Farm Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been to  (a) his Department and  (b) IT companies supplying his Department of the IT problems associated with late payments of single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: The core IT system to enable the processing of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) was developed in conjunction with Accenture, the prime contractor, and deployed in phased releases throughout 2005, with the final element being delivered in October 2005. The system is used by Rural Payments Agency (RPA) staff in the processing of SPS claims and is available to them from 6am to 9pm weekdays and 8am to 6pm at weekends. In 2005 RPA implemented a three-shift work pattern to maximise the utilisation of the system and thereby help address the demands of processing the first year of SPS claims.
	The overall cost of the Accenture contract is53.8 million. This includes not only the development of the core SPS processing system but also a Rural Land Register, Customer Register, Customer Service (Call) Centre and Document Management Unit.

Single Farm Payments

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for making interim single farm payments; and what the latest estimated time scale is for completing all payments.

Barry Gardiner: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 9 May that some 730 million in the form of a substantial partial payment would be paid within a week of that announcement. Once this sum has been paid there will remain around 31,000 claimants who will not have received a payment. Some 26,000 of these claimants are due to receive a payment amounting to less than 1,000. Making full payments to the 5,000 farmers due to receive more than 1,000 will be given the highest priority by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
	The RPA has not provided a timetable for the completion of outstanding payments, although it is endeavouring to make payment to all 2005 Single Payment Scheme applicants by 30 June.

Single Farm Payments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many information leaflets have been received by each common agricultural policy farmer in  (a) England and  (b) Northern Ireland regarding the Single Payment Scheme since the mid-term common agricultural policy reform proposals were agreed in 2003; and what the total estimated cost was of compiling, printing and posting these booklets in each country.

Barry Gardiner: Eighteen information leaflets regarding the Single Payment Scheme have been sent to English farmers since the mid-term common agricultural policy reform proposals were agreed in 2003. Because of the importance of the scheme and the need to register entitlements in the first year, all publications were mailed to every customer on the Defra database.
	Subsequent to the development of the Rural Payments Agency's (RPA) own customer data it was not necessary to send all publications to the same circulation. Copies have been available on call off from Defra Publications and RPA's Customer Service Centre.
	The total cost of compiling, printing and posting the leaflets to English farmers is 1,846,243.20.
	Northern Ireland falls under the remit of its own devolved Administration.

Single Farm Payments

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) lowest,  (b) highest,  (c) median and  (d) mean value was of the claims for the 2005 Single Payment Scheme within each of the three designated payment areas.

Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is in the process of paying claims to the 2005 Single Payment Scheme. As such final figures are not available. Based on payments made up to 3 May the information requested is as follows:
	
		
			
			 Lowest value 0.01 
			 Highest value 357,593.88 
			 Median value 2,885.67 
			 Mean value 9,143.60 
		
	
	The SPS is administered nationally with claims submitted in respect of land held in one or more English regions. It is not possible to provide the number of claims supporting land in each of the three English regions.

Single Farm Payments

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims for the 2005 Single Payment Scheme were (a) expected and  (b) received in each of the three designated payment areas, broken down by value.

Barry Gardiner: 120,367 applications were received by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS).
	The SPS is administered nationally with claims submitted in respect of land held in one or more English regions. It is not possible to provide the number of claims supporting land in each of the three English regions. However the amount of land claimed in each of the three regions is as follows:
	
		
			   Hectares 
			 NonSDA 7,325,833 
			 SDA other 578,027 
			 Moorland 452,399

Single Farm Payments

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made towards a fully worked up contingency plan to pay partial single farm payments before30 June 2006.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 11 May 2006
	As announced in a written statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, on 9 May, after testing the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has immediately moved to making partial payments.
	As a result 730 million has been transferred to the BAGS system or drawn up in payable orders. These payments should reach farmers' bank accounts by the end of the week.
	The RPA is still endeavouring to make a full or partial payment to all Single Payment Scheme applicants by 30 June 2006.

Single Farm Payments

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition of the middle range of historical claimants is being used for the prioritisation of single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The intention is for all eligible Single Payment Scheme (SPS) claimants to receive a payment, either in full or substantial part, by the end of June. With respect to the validation of claims leading to full payment by the Rural Payments Agency, the highest priority is being placed on claims of a value of between 50,000 and 100,000, reflecting a wish to disburse the maximum amount of funds to the maximum number of farmers within the shortest possible time frame. Work to validate claims of a value outside this band is also continuing as far as practicable.

Single Farm Payments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms were put in place by the Rural Payments Agency to ensure that the despatch of the Customer Registration booklet to farmers for the new financial year did not affect the finalising of 2005 payments; what assessment her Department made of the merits of delaying the despatch of these booklets until after the 2005 payments had been completed; and if she will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: RPAs continuing priority task is the processing of 2005 SPS payments and all resources required to ensure payment at the earliest time has been directed to this task.
	However, RPA also needs to ensure that 2006 scheme year claims are issued to enable return within the statutory requirements set by the scheme legislation. EU regulations specify that SPS claim forms must be lodged with the Paying Agency by May 15 each year, so delaying the issue of these forms until all 2005 payments had been processed was not an option.
	To assist our customers the 2006 claim forms have been prepopulated where possible with all available customer information such as customer registration, scheme entitlements and land registration details.

Warm Home Zones

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what start-up funding is available for new warm home zones; how much such funding is available in North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: An independent evaluation of the three-year Warm Zones pilot period was published earlier this year. The Government are considering the full range of conclusions from the pilot and will continue to work with Warm Zones Ltd. in its ongoing development.

Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what progress the Government have made during 2006 in meeting the targets of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the operation of  (a) section 1 and  (b) section 2 of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000; what recent representations he has received on the operation of the Act; if he will place in the Library copies of such representations; and whether he plans (i) to amend and (ii) to repeal this Act.

Ian Pearson: The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, published in November 2001, defines fuel poverty as a household that needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income on fuel to maintain an adequate standard of warmth (21 degrees in the main living area, and 18 degrees in all other rooms). A comprehensive range of measures has been put in place to tackle the underlying causes of fuel poverty, which are poor, energy inefficient housing, high fuel costs and low incomes. The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy also specifies interim targets to be achieved and target dates for eradicating fuel poverty in the UK.
	There have been no recent representations on the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act, and there are no plans to amend or repeal the Act.
	The Government report annually on fuel poverty targets. The most recent report was published in July 2005 and showed that, in 2003, there were 1.2 million households in fuel poverty in England, 1.0 million of which were vulnerable households. This report, and further information on the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, is available at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/fuel-poverty/strategy/index.html.
	The figures for 2004 will be published shortly in the Fourth Annual Progress Report.

Whaling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade those states within the International Whaling Commission sympathetic to Japan to vote in favour of whale conservation.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly send lobbying instructions to our posts abroad to seek support from their host countries for the UK's position on whaling. The prominent role we play within the Commission ensures no country can be in any doubt as to the importance we attach to whale conservation.
	I have written to new members of the IWC refuting the spurious claims that whales have a detrimental effect on fish stocks an argument often advanced by whaling countries in support of whaling operations. I personally raise the issue of whaling with my international counterparts at every appropriate opportunity. I have also written to fellow UK Ministers with international contact urging them and their officials to take such opportunities as arise to raise the issue of the conservation of cetaceans in appropriate bilateral meetings, or in the margins of meetings.
	The U K and its allies have lost no opportunity in trying to persuade new anti-whaling countries to join the IWC?with some success?five have joined in the last two years.

Whaling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to encourage all those members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in favour of conservation measures to attend the IWC meetingin June.

Ben Bradshaw: In January together with Ministers from Australia and New Zealand I wrote to Ministers in all IWC member countries to encourage their participation in the 58(th) annual IWC meeting in June. Our posts abroad will be lobbying the Governments of anti-whaling IWC members to encourage attendance and to stress the need to ensure that Commissioners' credentials are in proper order.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Corporate Takeovers

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the EU Competition Commissioner about individual EU members introducing unilateral legislation to prevent corporate takeovers.

Ian McCartney: Ministers have made no specific representations. We are confident that the European Commission will deal with breaches of Single Market rules and will consider carefully mergers where the purpose may be to block foreign takeovers. The Commission is well aware of the UK position on these issues and knows that it has our support to enforce Single Market rules and merger regulations to the full.

Employment Status Review

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2005,  Official Report, column 1105W, on employment status review, when he will publish the conclusions of the Employment Act 1999 section 23 Consultations (Employment Status Review).

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government published their response to the consultation on the current framework and coverage of employment rights (Employment Status Review) at the end of March as part of the policy statement Success at Work; Protecting Vulnerable Workers, Supporting Good Employers. Copies of this document have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

EU Extremely Large Telescope

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry where the EU Extremely Large Telescope is expected to be located.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The main sites under consideration as a possible location for the European Extremely Large Telescope are:
	Observatorio Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) La Palma, Canaries
	Paranal in the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile
	Izafiain the Moroccan Atlas Mountains
	Northwest Argentinaa number of sites
	'Dome C'in the Australian Antarctica Territory
	A final decision is not expected to be made until 2008 at the earliest.

European Social Chapter

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which statutory instruments were introduced by his Department to implement the European Social Chapter in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the Chapter.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 1991, in what was then the Social Chapter, the EU provided for member states to reach agreement on certain aspects of social policy. The UK exercised its right to 'opt out' from the Social Chapter. In 1997 the UK Government decided it no longer wished to 'opt-out' of provisions in the Social Chapter. As a result the contents of the Social Chapter were incorporated into the Amsterdam treaty, coming into force in May 1999. The Statutory Instruments introduced by the DTI, implementing the four Social Chapter measures already agreed by the other member states prior to the UK ending its 'opt-out', are as follows:
	Sex Discrimination (Indirect Discrimination and Burden of Proof) Regulations 2001 (implementing Directive 98/52 which extended to the UK Directive 97/80 on the burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex). These provide that once a prima facie case of sex discrimination has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer) who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
	The Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 (implementing Directive 98/23 which extended to the UK Directive 97/81 on the framework agreement on part-time work). These provide for entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full-time workers;
	The Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999 (implementing Directive 97/75 which extended to the UK Directive 96/34 on the framework agreement on parental leave). These provide for parents to have the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave for the purposes of caring for a child. The leave must be taken by the child's fifth birthday, or within 5 years of the child's placement for adoption;
	The Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 1999 (implementing Directive 97/74 which extended to the UK Directive 94/45 on the establishment of European Works Council). These require companies with at least 1,000 employees in total across the member states and at least 150 workers in each of two or more of those member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them.
	Since the Treaty of Amsterdam came into force in 1999, further Directives and Regulations have been adopted under Articles 136-139 of Title XI of the EC Treaty, i.e. the Social Provisions Chapter.

Job Sharing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage employers to provide job shares.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Minister for women on 28 February 2006,  Official Report, column 658W.

Mobile Telephony

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the land area of the UK is covered by third generation mobile telephony.

Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is the Independent Regulator for the communications sector, deriving its main powers and duties directly from statute rather than by delegation from the Secretary of State, and accountable to Parliament in its own right. Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive Officer of Ofcom to reply to my hon. friend and to send me a copy of his response. Copies of the chief executive's letter will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Post Office Card Account

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the effect on business of local post offices of the ending of the Post Office card account.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd. and Department for Work and Pensions are currently discussing various options to help mitigate any impact on post offices resulting from the end of the Post Office card account.

Post Office Card Account

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what average income has accrued to a post office branch from a Post Office card account;
	(2)  what the total amount of revenue to a local post office branch from the Post Office card account was in 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Income received by Post Office Ltd. from a Post Office card account is commercially confidential information.

UK Atomic Energy Authority

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact the proposed management buy-out of the UK Atomic Energy Authority will have on the Government's plans for the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There is no proposed Management Buy Out (MBO) of the UKAEA and the UKAEA is not for sale. However, the Board of UKAEA is overseeing a fundamental restructuring of the organisation in line with Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)'s published strategy and in accordance with UKAEA's published 2005 Corporate Plan.
	UKAEA's Board is now transforming UKAEA into three distinct publicly owned entities. UKAEA will in part, continue as a non-departmental public body (NDPB) responsible for fusion research and development at Culham and the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (HSIC). Secondly, UKAEA's nuclear sites at Dounreay, Harwell, Winfrith and Windscale will become companies able to be competed by the NDA. Thirdly we are creating a commercial subsidiary, NewCo, which with its Alliance industry partners CH2MHI11 and AMEC will compete in the future decommissioning market.
	The UKAEA Board is considering various options for NewCo's continuing commercial development. Any decisions in this regard will not impact on the HSIC which will continue to form part of the ongoing NDPB.

Wireless Telegraphy Act

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many successful prosecutions there were for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 in  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05 and  (d) 2005-06; and how much was collected in fines arising from such prosecutions in each year;
	(2)  how many people have been prosecuted in (a) England,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 since 1991;

Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of Houses.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Switchover Costs

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research she has commissioned into the likely costs of digital switchover for the BBC.

Tessa Jowell: Evidence from a variety of different sources, including primary research, will feed into our assessment of the BBC's future funding needs including costs related to digital switchover. This includes work carried out under the Digital Television Action Plan published in March 2005, the BBC's own figures and the financial analysis carried out by PKF and set out in their independent report published on26 April.
	The Government have carried out a variety of research and drawn on other evidence to inform the development of the assistance scheme for households where one person is 75 or over or has a serious disability, the costs of which will form part of the BBC's overall switchover costs. Details of the published research and other relevant reports which have fed into the policy development are in the table.
	
		
			  Publication  Author  Published 
			 The equipment needs of consumers facing most difficulty switching to digital TV The Generics Group May 2006 
			 Equipment needs of consumers facing most difficulty switching to digital TV equipment i2 media research May 2006 
			 Digital TV Equipment: Vulnerable Consumer Requirement Consumer Expert Group/Digital UK March 2006 
			 Ferryside and Llansteffan Technical Trial: Research on Vulnerable Households Ipsos RSL July 2005 
			 Digital Switchover Technical Trial at Ferryside and Llansteffan Report Digital TV Project July 2005 
			 Supporting the most vulnerable consumers through digital switchover Ofcom Consumer Panel November 2004 
			 Attitudes to Digital Switchover The Generics Group March 2004 
			 Attitudes to Digital Television The Generics Group January 2004 
			 Digital Television for All A report on usability and accessible design The Generics Group September 2003 
		
	
	All research carried out by the Government on digital switchover is available at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk

Licensing Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on amending section 147 of the LicensingAct 2003.

Shaun Woodward: During the Government's public consultation on Drinking Responsibly, some trading standards officers expressed the view that it was difficult to secure convictions against corporate bodies under sections 169A and 169B of the Licensing Act 1964. These are the equivalent offence provisions to those provided by sections 146 and 147 of the Licensing Act 2003, which were given effect on24 November 2005, and which cover the sale of alcohol, and allowing the sale of alcohol, to children.
	As a result of these representations, new offence provisions and closure powers relating to the persistent selling of alcohol to children have been included in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which is currently being scrutinised by the House of Lords. If the Bill receives Royal Assent, these new provisions would particularly impact on corporate bodies as well as individuals.

Licensing Act

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will undertake a review of the implications of licensing costs for village halls and not-for-profit entities; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: An Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel was established by the Government in May last year to consider whether fees had been set at the right level for community groups, businesses and local authorities.
	The Panelwhich is chaired by Sir Les Eltonpublished its interim findings on 5 December. This identified a number of areas for more detailed work, including further consideration of the impact of the new regime on not-for-profit organisations and village halls. The full interim report can be accessed on my Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/alcohol_and_entertainment/monitoring_and_evaluation/ifreview.htm
	The Panel is continuing to work closely with all stakeholders in order to gather the evidence that will inform their final report, which is due to be published in the autumn.

London 2012 Olympics

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions have taken place between her Department and the British Olympic Association regarding the funding required to train athletes to Olympic standard for entry into every event at the 2012 Olympic games.

Richard Caborn: There have been no specific discussions between the Department and the British Olympic Association (BOA) on this issue, but the Department has discussed this with UK Sport. UK Sport is the Government's lead agency on elite sport and is responsible for funding high performance sport across the United Kingdom.
	Lord Moynihan, chairman BOA, did, however, write to the Secretary of State in November 2005 commenting on UK Sport's submission, developed with the support of the BOA, for additional funding to support our Olympic sports and elite athletes to train and compete at the London 2012 games. In addition, the Secretary of State spoke with Lord Moynihan during the Winter Olympics in Turin.

School Sports

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much money provided through the School Sports Policy has been allocated to each project;
	(2)  how much money was allocated to the School Sports Policy; and how much of that money has been allocated to sports projects.

Richard Caborn: Over 459 million has been invested by the Government to support the delivery of the National School Sport Strategy over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06. The National School Sport Strategy comprises eight individual but interlinked workstrands. The table sets out details of money allocated to these workstrands:
	
		
			  Budget 2003-04 to 2005-06 
			  Workstrand   million 
			 Specialist Sports Colleges programme 115 
			 School Sport Partnerships* 224* 
			 Professional Development programme* *This is 
			 Gifted and Talented programme* the Total 
			 QCA PE and School Sport Investigation* for these 
			 Swimming strategy* 5 workstrands 
			 Step into Sport programme 12 
			 Club Links programme 10 
			 Total 361 
		
	
	In addition to the money allocated to these eight workstrands, funding was also invested in work to enhance Community Club Development (60 million between 2003-04 and 2005-06), Coaching (28 million between 2003-04 and 2005-06) and the Sporting Playgrounds programme (10 million between 2003-04 and 2004-05). All this work is supporting the National School Sport Strategy, and the delivery of the sports public service agreement target.

School Sports

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) individuals and  (b) organisations have applied for funding through the School Sports Policy in each year since it was set up; and how many of those applications (i) resulted in an award of funding and (ii) were declined.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Department for Education and Skills, are working together to deliver the National School Sport Strategy. We have allocated funding to a number of strategic partners, which include Sport England, Youth Sport Trust, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, and others, to implement the National Strategy programmes.
	Between 2003-04 and 2005-06, 306 applications for funding were received to form School Sport Partnerships. All of these were successful, in some cases following further development work on some of the applications.

DEFENCE

Aircraft

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all UK Hercules aircraft are fitted with anti-explosive foam.

Adam Ingram: Explosion suppressant foam is not currently fitted to RAF Hercules aircraft, though we have made the decision to fit some of the fleet. The first Hercules fitted with explosion suppressant foam will be available for operational deployment within the next few months.

Army Exercises

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers have  (a) been killed and  (b) seriously injured on exercise in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: While data relating to soldiers who have died or been seriously injured are recorded centrally, it is not possible within these figures to identify those soldiers who were on exercise at the time of the incident.

Body Armour

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether every serviceman in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan has his or her own body armour.

Adam Ingram: All personnel deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan are issued with body armour.
	Whether they are wearing it at any time will depend on the security situation in the area they are deployed.

C17s

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual cost is of the lease of one C17 from the US; and if he will make a statement on the ownership of the four C17s which are being used by the Royal Air Force.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Procurement Agency leases the four C-17 aircraft from The Boeing Company, who own the aircraft.
	Information relating to the cost of the lease is classified as commercial-in-confidence between the MOD and the Contractor and therefore cannot be released.

Defence Information Initiative

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact changes to the delivery plan for the Defence Information Initiative will have on the project's time scale and costs.

Tom Watson: The roll-out schedule for the Defence Information Infrastructure (Future) (DII(F)) programme was first negotiated during 2004-05 and was re-worked during January 2006. The DII (F) contract was deliberately structured to allow for a level of change as it recognised that the impact of initiatives such as the efficiency review and the Ministry of Defence's own change programme would require a level of flexibility from the DII (F) Deliver Partner, ATLAS Consortium.
	MOD and ATLAS are currently discussing the impact of the revised rollout schedule. However, the changes introduced so far are not significant, and we expect that the rollout of the first increment of DII (F) will remain within its financial approval envelope. Both the DII project team and the ATLAS consortium are working hard to meet the originally forecast 'Last User Live' date and are confident that the predicted benefits will be achieved.
	The Civilian Level 0 definition reflects all departmental employees including casuals and those not directly funded by the Department such as staff on loan to other government departments or NATO, and staff on career breaks or absent through long term sickness.

Disposal Contractors

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed of the dispute referred to on 9 February 2004,  Official Report, column 1177W; and what the estimated scale of the Government's potential financial liability was at that time.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence was briefed in April 2001. At that time there was insufficient information available to estimate the Department's potential liability.

Disposal Contractors

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingent liabilities have been set aside by the Department for final settlement in the case of arbitration referred to on 9 February 2004,  Official Report, column 1177W; and where these appear in the Department's appropriation account.

Adam Ingram: The total estimated contingent liability for the Department was disclosed in the Department's annual report and accounts for 2003-04. A contingency for the case referred to was included in these accounts. This case was concluded earlier this year, and the settlement is currently confidential between the parties involved; however, it will be reflected in the departmental accounts for 2005-06, which are currently being prepared.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the staff in his Department is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled, broken down by grade.

Tom Watson: The following table shows the total number of MOD civilian staff at 1 April 2006, and the proportion of this number who are male and female by pay band.
	The proportion of disabled staff at each pay band is based only on staff who have declared their disability status. Declaration of a disability is voluntary.
	Disability status is not available for Royal Fleet Auxiliary or locally engaged civilians. Gender of locally engaged civilians is also not available.
	
		
			  Headcount (1 April 2006) 
			  Responsibility level  Staff headcount total  Male (percentage)  Female (percentage)  Declared disability (percentage) 
			 SCS and equivalent 320 90 10 3.3 
			 Grade 6/7 2,790 81 19 3.8 
			 SEO/HEO 17,610 72 28 5.1 
			 EO 13,760 61 39 6.1 
			 AO/AA 28,340 43 57 5.5 
			 Industrial grades 14,810 80 20 6.7 
			 Unknown grade 170 51 49 0.9 
			 Trading Funds 10,870 80 20 4.0 
			 Royal Fleet Auxiliary 2,340 96 4 n/a 
			 Locally Engaged Civilians 16,790 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Civilian Level 0 107,800

Departmental Staff

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) women and  (b) men are employed in the Department; what the average pay was for (i) women and (ii) men in the Department in(1) 1997 and (2) 2006; what women's average pay is asa percentage of men's average pay; and how many(A) women and (B) men the Department employed in each of the last five years, broken down by grade.

Tom Watson: The following table shows the numbers of permanent, non-industrial Ministry of Defence staff by gross salary band, gender and full-time/part-time status as at 1 April 2006, in both headcount and full-time equivalent terms. Comparable data by salary band for 1997 are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Gross pay for non-industrial permanent staff by gender and hours worked 
			  Non-industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff( 2)  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Salary band( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2006  
			 10,001-15,000 4,020 5,600 9,620 100 1,180 1,280 4,090 6,360 10,450 
			 15,001-20,000 6,650 8,280 14,940 70 1,650 1,720 6,700 9,370 16,070 
			 20,001-25,000 6,810 3,890 10,700 60 640 700 6,860 4,320 11,180 
			 25,001-30,000 6,550 1,820 8,360 70 370 440 6,600 2,080 8,670 
			 30,001-35,000 5,470 920 6,390 40 140 180 5,500 1,020 6,520 
			 35,001-40,000 2,560 560 3,120 20 110 130 2,580 630 3,210 
			 40,001-45,000 1,060 190 1,260 30 90 120 1,080 260 1,340 
			 45,001-50,000 650 90 750 30 80 110 680 160 830 
			 50,001-55,000 370 40 410 20 20 40 380 60 440 
			 55,001-60,000 220 40 250 10 10 20 220 50 270 
			 60,001-65,000 230 40 260 10 10 20 240 40 280 
			 65,001-70,000 120 20 150  10 10 120 30 160 
			 70,001-75,000 60 20 80 10 10 10 60 20 80 
			 75,001+ 130 20 140 10 10 10 130 20 150 
			 Not reported(3) 240 470 710 30 170 210 250 590 850 
			 Total 35,140 22,000 57,150 510 4,500 5,010 35,490 25,000 60,490 
			   
			 Lower quartile salary(4) 18,400 14,700 16,700 16,200 14,400 14,500 18,400 14,700 16,500 
			 Median salary(4) 25,000 18,200 21,900 25,900 17,800 17,900 25,000 18,200 21,400 
			 Upper quartile salary(4) 31,400 22,400 29,400 39,100 23,000 24,100 31,400 22,500 29,400 
			  denotes numbers less than 5. (1) Part-time staff are assigned to the salary band corresponding to their full-time equivalent salary. (2) Salary in this table is gross salary. (3) The not reported category contains staff whose salary was not available on 1 April, cases where the data held on the system gave anomalous salary results (either very high or very low) and a number of staff who joined part way through the month leading to partial salary detail. (4) Salary figures are rounded to the nearest 100, and exclude the Not reported category.  Notes: 1. Excludes casual, industrial, trading funds, Royal fleet auxiliary and locally engaged civilian staff. 2. All staff numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 
		
	
	The following table shows permanent staff employed by the Department broken down by responsibility level, full-time/part-time status and gender, in headcount and full-time equivalent terms, for the five years,1 April 2002 to 1 April 2006 inclusive.
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of non-industrial permanent staff by gender and hours worked non-industrial and industrial staff 
			  Non-industrial and industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Responsibility level( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2006  
			 All non-industrial staff 35,140 22,000 57,150 510 4,500 5,010 35,490 25,000 60,490 
			   
			 SCS level 280 30 310   10 280 30 310 
			 Grades 6/7 2,210 440 2,650 40 80 130 2,230 500 2,730 
			 SEO/HEO level 12,440 3,990 16,430 180 840 1,010 12,570 4,610 17,180 
			 EO level 8,340 4,520 12,860 90 750 840 8,400 5,040 13,440 
			 AO/AA level 11,790 12,940 24,730 200 2,820 3,020 11,920 14,750 26,660 
			 Unknown 80 80 16080 80 160 
			   
			 All industrial staff 11,520 2,310 13,820 110 550 660 11,580 2,660 14,240 
			   
			 Casual staff 470 440 900 60 190 250 500 560 1,060 
			 Trading fund staff 8,530 1,820 10,350 150 360 520 8630 2060 10,700 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary 2,250 90 2,3402250 90 2,340 
			 Locally engaged civilians n/a n/a 13,400 n/a n/a 3,390 n/a n/a 15,100 
			   
			 Civilian level 0 total   97,980   9,820   103,930 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-industrial and industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Responsibility level( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2005  
			 All non-industrial staff 36,910 24,020 60,930 410 4,030 4,440 37,180 26,670 63,850 
			 SCS level 270 30 300270 30 300 
			 Grades 6/7 2,150 420 2,570 40 70 110 2,170 470 2,640 
			 SEO/HEO level 12,800 3,960 16,750 140 650 790 12,900 4,420 17,320 
			 EO level 9,080 4,850 13,930 60 640 710 9,120 5,290 14,410 
			 AO/AA level 12,180 14,580 26,750 150 2,650 2,800 12,270 16,260 28,540 
			 Unknown 440 190 630  20 20 450 200 640 
			 All industrial staff 11,820 2,480 14,300 110 550 660 11,890 2,830 14,710 
			   
			 Casual staff 480 500 970 40 190 230 500 620 1,120 
			 Trading fund staff 8790 1730 10,520 120 300 420 8860 1920 10,780 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary n/a n/a 2,350 n/a n/a  n/a n/a 2,350 
			 Locally engaged civilians n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 15,660 
			 Civilian level 0 total 108,470 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-industrial and industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Responsibility level( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2004  
			 All non-industrial staff 36,680 23,900 60,590 320 3,960 4,280 36,900 26,470 63,370 
			   
			 SCS level 270 20 290270 30 290 
			 Grades 6/7 2,080 370 2,450 40 50 80 2,110 400 2,510 
			 SEO/HEO level 12,700 3,640 16,340 90 500 600 12,770 3,990 16,760 
			 EO level 9,210 4,760 13,970 60 610 670 9,250 5,170 14,420 
			 AO/AA level 12,370 15,090 27,460 130 2,790 2,920 12,460 16,870 29,330 
			 Unknown 50 20 7050 20 70 
			   
			 All industrial staff 12,360 2,580 14,940 120 700 820 12,430 3,020 15,450 
			   
			 Casual staff 440 480 920 40 170 210 460 580 1,040 
			 Trading fund staff 9400 1790 11,190 110 280 390 9470 1970 11,440 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary n/a n/a 2,310 n/a n/a  n/a n/a 2,310 
			 Locally engaged civilians n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 15,430 
			   
			 Civilian level 0 total 109,050 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-industrial and industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Responsibility level( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2003  
			 All non-industrial staff 36,580 22,830 59,410 300 4,500 4,800 36,780 25,740 62,510 
			   
			 SCS level 270 20 290270 20 290 
			 Grades 6/7 2,090 320 2,410 30 40 70 2,100 360 2,460 
			 SEO/HEO level 12,380 3,040 15,410 60 370 420 12,410 3,280 15,700 
			 EO level 9,240 4,350 13,590 60 670 730 9,280 4,800 14,080 
			 AO/AA level 12,240 14,570 26,810 160 3,240 3,390 12,340 16,640 28,980 
			 Unknown 360 530 890  170 180 360 640 1,000 
			   
			 All industrial staff 12,300 2,540 14,840 120 770 890 12,370 3,020 15,390 
			   
			 Casual staff 510 570 1,080 40 140 180 530 650 1,190 
			 Trading fund staff 10060 1860 11,930 100 320 430 10130 2070 12,200 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary n/a n/a 2,450 n/a n/a  n/a n/a 2,450 
			 Locally engaged civilians n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 13,840 
			   
			 Civilian level 0 total 107,580 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-industrial and industrial staff 
			   Headcount
			   Full-time staff  Part-time staff  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Responsibility level( 2)  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			  1 April 2002  
			 All non-industrial staff 36,560 22,760 59,310 270 4,270 4,540 36,730 25,480 62,210 
			   
			 SCS level 270 30 290270 30 300 
			 Grades 6/7 2,050 280 2,330 20 40 70 2,060 300 2,370 
			 SEO/HEO level 12,270 2,850 15,120 50 320 370 12,300 3,070 15,360 
			 EO level 9,560 4,280 13,840 50 660 710 9,590 4,720 14,310 
			 AO/AA level 12,270 15,290 27,560 150 3,240 3,390 12,360 17,330 29,700 
			 Unknown 140 30 170  10 10 140 30 180 
			   
			 All industrial staff 14,080 2,810 16,890 120 800 920 14,150 3,300 17,450 
			   
			 Casual staff 600 790 1,390 50 230 270 620 910 1,540 
			 Trading fund staff 10180 2010 12,190 70 290 360 10220 2190 12,410 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary n/a n/a 2,370 n/a n/a  n/a n/a 2,370 
			 Locally engaged civilians n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 14,120 
			   
			 Civilian level 0 total 110,090 
			  denotes numbers less than 5. (1) Part-time staff are recorded according to the proportion of full-time hours worked. (2) These tables show staff in their substantive responsibility level unless on temporary promotion in which case staff are recorded at the higher responsibility level.  Note:  All staff numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.

Fuel Cell Technology

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are plans to adapt the UK armed forces underwater detection capabilities better to detect fuel cell vessels.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has a number of platforms coming into service now and over the next few years that incorporate sensors and technology specifically aimed at the emerging threat of small, quiet submarines, including those using Air Independent Propulsion.

Haslar Hospital

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between his Department and Gosport borough council in relation to planning issues at  (a) Haslar Hospital and  (b) other departmental sites at Haslar.

Tom Watson: holding answer 15 May 2006
	No discussions have yet taken place in regard to the future planning options for the sites at either Royal Hospital (RH) Haslar or Fort Blockhouse (the adjacent site). We expect meetings will commence towards the end ofthis year.
	MOD has submitted Circular 18/84 applications to Gosport borough council for the redevelopment of the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre, at Fort Blockhouse, in support of current operational initiatives. This requires the re-provision of offices, stores and boatshed and the demolition of a number of obsolete buildings. A decision is expected by the endof June.
	A further Circular 18/84 application is to be submitted in due course seeking continued permission for the security fence to the rear of Canada and Albert accommodation blocks at RH Haslar.

Telephone Costs

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many minutes of free personal overseas telephone calls officials of the Defence Export Services Organisation are entitled to each week while working abroad; and which budget line covers such expenses.

Adam Ingram: Ministry of Defence personnel who are overseas on short business trips can claim a tax-free overnight expenses allowance. This allowance is intended to cover a number of miscellaneous expenses, including a telephone call home. Similarly, where personnel are posted overseas for longer periods of time they receive a cost of living allowance. The allowance reflects the relative costs of a representative basket of goods and services as a means of protecting the spending power of the UK salary in the overseas area. Services include the cost of telephone calls.

Portland PR

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has withhis Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case.

Adam Ingram: While it would incur disproportionate cost to contact every organisation within the Ministry of Defence to determine if any officials have met with Portland PR representatives, I have determined that there have been no dealings with this company by my central Defence Public Relations policy organisation.
	We have not found any records of contracts with Portland PR.

RAF Benevolent Trust

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department has made available to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Trust in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: holding answer 15 May 2006
	The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a charity which exists to provide assistance to those of the extended Royal Air Force family who need support as a consequence of poverty, sickness, disability, accident, infirmity or other adversity. While the Ministry of Defence does not provide any direct financial support, the Royal Air Force encourages personnel to make voluntary contributions through the give as you earn scheme. In addition, many volunteers from Royal Air Force stations and units organise and support fund raising events and collect donations to support the Benevolent Fund.
	Until January 2005, the MOD provided support to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Development Trust through the provision of manpower, logistics and display assets for events such as the Royal International Air Tattoo. Since January 2005, the newly established Royal Air Force Charitable Trust has taken over the running of such events as the Royal International Air Tattoo.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Assembly Members

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on the latest dates by which they are required to provide notice to their staff in the event of salaries and allowances for the Assembly being withdrawn on25 November 2006.

Peter Hain: As the hon. Gentleman will know, I have made clear that should Assembly Members be unable to elect a First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Executive by24 November, then MLAs' salaries and allowances would be cancelled immediately.
	MLAs' staff are, by definition, employed by MLAs themselves. It must therefore be for individual MLAs to decide, with professional advice should they deem it necessary, how best to proceed in terms of each contract of employment. I will remind MLAs of their responsibilities in this area during the summer.

Brownfield Planning

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average percentage of brownfield planning development for new housing has been in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: The average annual rate of brownfield development for new housing in Northern Ireland was 87 per cent. in 2002; 81 per cent. in 2003; and72 per cent. in 2004. These are the latest years for which information is available.

Causeway Hospital, Coleraine

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vacancies there are for  (a) full and  (b) part-time nursing staff in Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Current nursing staff vacancies by employment status in Causeway Hospital, Coleraine as at 30 April 2006 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Total 
			   Headcount  Headcount  WTE( 1)  Headcount  WTE( 1) 
			 Qualified nurse vacancies 6 4 3.20 10 9.20 
			 Nurse support staff vacancies 0 2 1.20 2 1.20 
			 (1 )Whole-time equivalent.  Source: Causeway Health and Social Services Trust

Criminal Justice Act

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to implement in Northern Ireland those provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 relating to non-jury trials; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Sections 43 to 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 provide for trials on indictment to take place without a jury in cases of serious fraud and where there is a suspicion of jury tampering. The provisions extend to Northern Ireland on the face of the Act.
	I refer the hon. Lady to the announcement made by the noble Lord, the Attorney-General on 14 March in another place, that the Government's intention is to proceed with these provisions by way of fresh legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.
	At this stage it remains our intention to implement the Criminal Justice Act provisions relating to non-jury trials in line with the introduction of these measures in England and Wales.

Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been charged under the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 in each year since its introduction; and what was the penalty imposed in each case.

David Cairns: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development only holds information from 1999 on the number of persons charged in respect of offences committed under the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. This is detailed in the following table. Two of the cases were withdrawn at the last moment following the agreement of the owners to destroy the dogs in question. Of the two cases prosecuted, in the first case the penalty was a 100 fine plus 365 costs and the dog ordered to be destroyed.In the second case the penalty was a 250 fine plus43 costs and the dog ordered to be destroyed.
	
		
			  Persons charged under the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 
			   Number 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 2 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 0

Drink Driving

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) police officers and (b) police civilian support staff were convicted of drink driving offences in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Statistics for the number of police officers convicted of drink driving offences are provided in the table. The Police Service of Northern Ireland do not hold such records for civilian support staff.
	
		
			  Year  Number of Police Officers 
			 2001-02 10 
			 2002-03 14 
			 2003-04 13 
			 2004-05 8 
			 2005-06 12 
			  Note: These statistics relate to police officers who were off duty at the time of the offence.

Drug Use (Offenders)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of crime in each constituency in Northern Ireland in the last two years involved offenders who were using  (a) cannabis and  (b) other drugs; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Police Service of Northern Ireland do not keep records in a format that would answer this question.
	Cannabis continues to be a first drug of choice for drug users in Northern Ireland, and among the treatment services it is the most commonly reported drug. Over the last three years the partner organisations in the Organised Crime Task Force have seized 36 million of illicit drugs and in 2004-05 the value of cannabis seized was 5.2 million. In the period 2005-06 the police increased the number of seizures by between 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. and the number of persons charged with drug offences by 18 per cent. The Government are not complacent to changes taking place in the drug culture and has noted the rise in cocaine use, from a low base.
	On 9 May the Government announced the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs for 2006 to 2011. It contains a series of key aims, one of which is to disrupt the availability of illicit drugs being brought into Northern Ireland. The Government will continue to encourage and financially support a range of projects to tackle offenders who use crime to support their drug use.

Education and Library Boards

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what honorariums have been paid to employees of each education and library board in each of the last five years; and at what total cost in each year.

Maria Eagle: The following tables show the number and value of honorariums paid by each education and library board to teaching and non-teaching staff over the last five years
	
		
			  Honoraria paid to Teaching and Non-teaching Education and Library Board staff since 2001 
			  BELB 
			   Number paid (Teaching staff)  Number paid (Non-teaching staff)  Cost (Teaching staff)()  Cost (Non-teaching staff) ()  Total cost () 
			 2001-02 92 3 42,459.35 1,621.58 44,080.93 
			 2002-03 49 4 25,003.28 3,156.89 28,160.17 
			 2003-04 59 33 32,283.00 14,347.68 46,630.68 
			 2004-05 51 5 29,450.00 3,529.33 32,979.33 
			 2005-06 55 4 32,300.00 25,491.63 57,791.63 
		
	
	
		
			  NEELB 
			   Number paid (Teaching staff)  Number paid (Non-teaching staff)  Cost (Teaching staff) ()  Cost (Non-teaching staff ()  Total cost () 
			 2001-02 60 6 29,525.00 3,075.00 32,600.00 
			 2002-03 68 4 30,124.45 8,040.00 38,164.45 
			 2003-04 101 9 54,636.65 3,370.00 58,006.65 
			 2004-05 131 47 74,395.63 28,225.00 102,620.63 
			 2005-06 104 38 45,170.80 19,105.00 64,275.80 
		
	
	
		
			  SELB 
			   Number paid (Teaching staff)  Number paid (Non-teaching staff)  Cost (Teaching staff) ()  Cost (Non-teaching staff) ()  Total cost() 
			 2001-02 1 24 440.00 36,853.28 37,293.28 
			 2002-03 17 28 1,078.54 13,806.86 14,885.40 
			 2003-04 22 62 5,212.28 39,586.25 44,798.53 
			 2004-05 0 30 0 23,074.09 23,074.09 
			 2005-06 14 67 10,500.00 54,496.99 64,996.99 
		
	
	
		
			  SEELB 
			   Number paid (Teaching staff)  Number paid (Non-teaching staff)  Cost (Teaching staff) ()  Cost (Non-teaching staff) ()  Total cost () 
			 2001-02 63 13 60,100.00 4,354.50 64,454.50 
			 2002-03 73 4 71,498.50 7,752.92 79,251.42 
			 2003-04 91 19 75,548.96 23,267.30 98,816.26 
			 2004-05 74 2 74,652.00 6,914.42 81,566.42 
			 2005-06 38 35 23,846.32 29,391.56 53,237.88 
		
	
	
		
			  WELB 
			   Number paid (Teaching staff)  Number paid (Non-teaching staff)  Cost (Teaching staff) ()  Cost (Non-teaching staff) ()  Total cost () 
			 2001-02 0 28 0 33,659.43 33,659.43 
			 2002-03 0 30 0 53,550.18 53,550.18 
			 2003-04 0 27 0 41,726.32 41,726.32 
			 2004-05 0 19 0 26,330.41 26,330.41 
			 2005-06 2 15 668.05 18,797.52 19,465.57

Farm Animals

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) pigs,  (b) beef cattle,  (c) hens,  (d) sheep,  (e) dairy cattle and  (f) calves there were on Northern Ireland farms in March in each of the last four years.

David Cairns: Accurate information is not known for March. The results of a statistical survey of Northern Ireland agriculture conducted annually in June provide the best available estimate.
	
		
			  Number 
			  Livestock type  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Pigs 387,714 433,689 424,058 405,093 
			 Beef cattle 422,667 433,544 427,695 428,997 
			 Broilers (Thousand) 11,273 12,811 15,007 12,526 
			 Other hens (Thousand) 5,139 5,274 5,061 4,622 
			 Sheep 2,324,161 2,241,112 2,225,407 2,145,084 
			 Dairy cattle 297,935 290,145 288,296 290,530 
			 Calves 472,359 471,471 466,718 457,067 
			  Notes: 1. Pigs are defined as breeding and fattening pigs. 2. Beef cattle are defined as cattle over one year old, intended for slaughter.  3. Sheep are defined as breeding and fattening sheep. 4. Dairy cattle are defined as dairy cows and heifers in milk and dairy cows in calf but not in milk. 5. Calves are defined as cattle under one year old.

Farm Subsidies Appeal Panel

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times the Independent Farm Subsidies Appeal Panel set up by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has met in the past 12 months; how many decisions have been returned  (a) partially and  (b) completely in favour of the farmer; how many times the panel's decision has been overturned by DARD; and what the cost of the panel to DARD has been over the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: For ease of reference the figures requested have been presented in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Number of times panel has met in the last 12 months (1)89 
			 Recommendations returned by panel (2)153 
			 Partially upheld by panel 13 
			 Upheld in full by panel 60 
			 Times panel recommendation overturned by DARD 0 
			 (1) Includes 10 occasions where the panel reconvened. Panel to reconvene to complete review of two cases. (2) Includes 16 cases still under policy consideration. 
		
	
	It should be noted, the Farm Subsidies Appeal Panel do not make decisions. Their remit is to review subsidy-related decisions against the relevant European and UK legislation and to consider whether the Department's decision is consistent with these rules. The panel is asked to reach a conclusion and make a recommendation to the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. The Department does not reject the recommendations made by the Independent Panel. The final decision as to whether the panel's recommendation is rejected or accepted rests with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.
	The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development did not accept 29 recommendations made by the panel (of these seven were accepted in part).
	During the past 12 months, the Independent Panel's cost to the Department was 257,465. This includes panel fees, travel and subsistence and administrative support/secretariat costs.

Fire Rescue Order

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial arrangements have been put in place to enable the Northern Ireland Fire Authority to implement outstanding elements of the Fire Rescue Order (2006).

Paul Goggins: The provisions in the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 will not have any significant bearing on the associated costs of the Fire and Rescue Service. Government already provides resources through the Revenue Support Grant, taking into account a whole range of fire service functions, including responding to road traffic accidents and community safety. Promoting fire safety, for example, is already funded as a key activity of the service and there will be scope for redeployment of resources through a more strategic and risk-based approach.
	Some additional funding has already been provided for the New Dimension major emergencies/catastrophic incidents programme and a bid for further funding is currently under consideration.
	Any further funding requests from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, whether arising from the new legislation or otherwise, will be subject to standard businesses case and subsequent scrutiny procedures and, where appropriate, prioritisation of bids against available resources.

Housing Benefit

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in the number of households claiming housing benefit has been in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The number of households claiming housing benefit (HB) over the last 10 years is not available. The table provides the change in theaverage number of claimants claiming HB in the last10 financial years.
	
		
			   Average numbers claiming housing benefit  Change +/- 
			 1995-96 139,600  
			 1996-97 140,700 + 1,100 
			 1997-98 137,900 - 2,800 
			 1998-99 136,300 - 1,600 
			 1999-2000 131,900 - 4,400 
			 2000-01 127,200 - 4,700 
			 2001-02 125,000 - 2,200 
			 2002-03 125,602 + 602 
			 2003-04 126,033 + 431 
			 2004-05 128,406 + 2,373 
			 2005-06 129,110 + 704

Kidney Transplants

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many kidney transplants were carried out under NHS procedures in Northern Ireland in 2005.

Paul Goggins: There were 30 kidney transplants carried out in Northern Ireland under NHS procedures in 2005.

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Organisations

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how much funding was awarded by the Government to lesbian, gay and bisexual organisations in Northern Ireland in 2004-05; and what percentage of funding awarded to all section 75 groups this represented;
	(2)  how much financial support has been allocated for lesbian, gay and bisexual organisations for 2006-07.

Paul Goggins: 643,413 was awarded to lesbian, gay and bisexual organisations in 2004-05. This is approximately 0.9 per cent. of the amount paid by Government to all organizations in the voluntary and community sector.
	531,600 is so far estimated for allocation to support lesbian, gay and bisexual organisations in 2006-07.

Library Fines

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fines were imposed for the non-return of borrowed books by each library in Northern Ireland in 2005.

Maria Eagle: The following numbers of fines were imposed for the non-return of borrowed stock items (mainly books, but also other items such as DVDs or music) in each Northern Ireland library branch in the financial year 2005-06:
	
		
			  BELB 
			   Number 
			 Andersonstown 1,095 
			 Ardoyne 798 
			 Ballygomartin 34 
			 Ballyhackamore 2,362 
			 Ballymacarrett 420 
			 Belfast Central 9,753 
			 Chichester 2,580 
			 Falls Road 1,311 
			 Finaghy 1,974 
			 Holywood Arches 1,942 
			 Ligoniel 442 
			 Lisburn Road 2,907 
			 Oldpark 165 
			 Ormeau 4,331 
			 Sandy Row 269 
			 Shankill 851 
			 Skegoneill 905 
			 Suffolk 1,687 
			 Whiterock 874 
			 Whitewell 109 
			 Woodstock 1,969 
			 Other 175 
		
	
	
		
			  NEELB 
			   Number 
			 Antrim 1,295 
			 Ahoghill 89 
			 Ballee 27 
			 Ballycastle 1,309 
			 Ballyclare 2,001 
			 Ballymena Central 6,027 
			 Ballymena Local Studies 0 
			 Ballymoney 2,203 
			 Bellaghy 73 
			 Broughshane 636 
			 Bushmills 128 
			 Carnlough 488 
			 Carrickfergus 3,039 
			 Castlerock 75 
			 Cloughfern 694 
			 Cloughmills 69 
			 Coleraine 3,039 
			 Crumlin 926 
			 Cullybackey 103 
			 Cushendall 814 
			 Draperstown 743 
			 Garvagh 470 
			 Glengormley 3,287 
			 Greenisland 674 
			 Greystone 1,091 
			 Kells and Connor 441 
			 Kilrea 512 
			 Larne 2,865 
			 Maghera 1,531 
			 Magherafelt 2,575 
			 Monkstown 155 
			 Portglenone 877 
			 Portrush 1,072 
			 Portstewart 1,212 
			 Randalstown 1,194 
			 Rathcoole 938 
			 Templepatrick 91 
			 Whitehead 1,089 
			 Other 1,424 
		
	
	
		
			  SEELB 
			   Number 
			 Ballynahinch 1,290 
			 Bangor 5,265 
			 Belvoir Park 448 
			 Braniel 412 
			 Carryduff 797 
			 Castlewellan 696 
			 Colin Glen 2,883 
			 Comber 2,123 
			 Cregagh 1,511 
			 Donaghadee 1,273 
			 Downpatrick 4,078 
			 Dundonald 1,499 
			 Dunmurry 533 
			 Gilnahirk 492 
			 Holywood 2,284 
			 Killyleagh 573 
			 Laurelhill 612 
			 Lisburn 4,192 
			 Moira 1,034 
			 Newcastle 3,753 
			 Newtownards 3,629 
			 Newtownbreda 2,109 
			 Portaferry 1,088 
			 Saintfield 949 
			 Tullycarnet 1,234 
			 Other 469 
		
	
	
		
			  SELB 
			   Number 
			 Armagh 3,948 
			 Banbridge 2,531 
			 Bessbrook 525 
			 Brownlow 1,365 
			 Coalisland 1,365 
			 Cookstown 3,241 
			 Crossmaglen 704 
			 Dromore 580 
			 Dungannon 4,065 
			 Fivemiletown 555 
			 Gilford 301 
			 Irish and Local Studies 39 
			 Keady 890 
			 Kilkeel 2,117 
			 Lurgan 3,899 
			 Moneymore 204 
			 Moy 355 
			 Newry 5,585 
			 Portadown 3,546 
			 Rathfriland 603 
			 Richhill 710 
			 Tandragee 807 
			 Waringstown 264 
			 Warrenpoint 2,144 
			 Other 1,447 
		
	
	
		
			  WELB 
			   Number 
			 Castlederg 674 
			 Creggan 895 
			 Dungiven 768 
			 Enniskillen 2,839 
			 Fintona 252 
			 Irvinestown 1,037 
			 Limavady 1,779 
			 Lisnaskea 974 
			 Londonderry Central 6,024 
			 Newtownstewart 366 
			 Omagh 5,580 
			 Shantallow 1,670 
			 Strabane 2,655 
			 Strathfoyle 274 
			 Waterside 2,615 
			 Other 474 
			  Note: 'Other' fines mainly imposed by mobile libraries, but also include a range of other library outlets.

Birth Rates

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in the numbers of live births in  (a) Coleraine and  (b) Limavady was between 1995 and 2005.

David Hanson: The following table gives the number of live births registered in Northern Ireland in 1995 and 2005, where the mother was resident in Coleraine or Limavady local government districts.
	
		
			  Local government district  1995  2005( 1)  Change 1995-2005 
			 Coleraine 754 589 -165 
			 Limavady 498 452 -46 
			 (1 )Provisional data.

Birth Rates

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in the numbers of live births in each district council area in Northern Ireland was between 1975 and 2005.

David Hanson: The following table gives the number of live births registered in Northern Ireland in 1975 and 2005 by Local Government District of residence of mother.
	
		
			  Number of Live Births( 1)  Registered in Northern Ireland by Local Government District of Residence of Mother, 1975 and 2005 
			  Local Government District  1975 ( 2) 2005  Change 1995-2005 
			 Antrim 877 703 -174 
			 Ards 954 891 -63 
			 Armagh 847 806 -41 
			 Ballymena 948 793 -155 
			 Ballymoney 351 376 25 
			 Banbridge(3) 363 651 288 
			 Belfast 4,891 3,291 -1,600 
			 Carrickfergus 421 479 58 
			 Castlereagh 695 723 28 
			 Coleraine 730 589 -141 
			 Cookstown 504 476 -28 
			 Craigavon 1,352 1,195 -157 
			 Derry 1,958 1,528 -430 
			 Down 922 799 -123 
			 Dungannon 924 761 -163 
			 Fermanagh 894 732 -162 
			 Larne 441 350 -91 
			 Limavady 570 452 -118 
			 Lisburn 1,331 1,467 136 
			 Magherafelt 565 614 49 
			 Moyle 270 193 -77 
			 Newry and Mourne(3) 1,503 1,403 -100 
			 Newtownabbey 1,246 1,049 -197 
			 North Down 931 822 -109 
			 Omagh 903 682 -221 
			 Strabane 739 503 -236 
			 Northern Ireland 26,130 22,328 -3,802 
			 (1 )Live birth figures for 1975 include births for Northern Ireland to non-resident mothers. These births have been assigned to Local Government District where the birth took place. (2) Provisional data. (3) Rathfriland ward was moved from Newry and Mourne Local Government District to Banbridge Local Government District between 1992 and 1993. There were 31 births in 2005 to mothers resident in Rathfriland ward. The numbers of births in 2005 in the Banbridge and Newry and Mourne LCD areas as they existed in 1975 are estimated as 620 and 1,434 respectively.

Birth Rates

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the birth rate was in each district council in Northern Ireland in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005.

David Hanson: The table below gives birth rates by Local Government District of residence of mother for births registered in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
	
		
			  Table: Birth rates( 1 , 2)  per 1,000 females aged 15-44 years by Local Government District of residence of mother, 2004 and 2005 
			  Local Government District  2004  2005( 3) 
			 Antrim 71.8 66.8 
			 Ards 57.4 59.2 
			 Armagh 61.9 68.5 
			 Ballymena 63.8 64.7 
			 Ballymoney 67.5 64.0 
			 Banbridge 62.7 69.5 
			 Belfast 54.7 52.5 
			 Carrickfergus 53.2 57.6 
			 Castlereagh 52.9 53.4 
			 Coleraine 57.3 50.2 
			 Cookstown 69.3 65.7 
			 Craigavon 66.6 67.9 
			 Derry 60.7 62.3 
			 Down 66.5 59.2 
			 Dungannon 75.6 73.3 
			 Fermanagh 57.7 61.2 
			 Larne 50.9 56.5 
			 Limavady 58.2 61.5 
			 Lisburn 60.9 60.9 
			 Magherafelt 66.3 69.1 
			 Moyle 61.2 59.7 
			 Newry and Mourne 72.3 71.9 
			 Newtownabbey 60.8 60.9 
			 North Down 56.2 55.1 
			 Omagh 60.4 63.5 
			 Strabane 59.6 61.6 
			 Northern Ireland 60.9 60.9 
			 (1) Birth is defined to be either still or live birth. Pregnancies which resulted in the birth of twins, triplets or other multiple births are counted twice, three times, etc. (2) Rate per 1,000 females aged 15-44. 2005 mid-year estimates are not yet published; the rate for 2005 is calculated using 2004 mid-year estimates of population. (3)Provisional Data

Overseas Education

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary ofState for Northern Ireland what programmes his Department has in place to enable young people and students from Northern Ireland to study in the United States.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning has overall responsibility for the Business Education Initiative (BEI) which aims to provide students with international business and management skills through a one-year placement at a private, church-affiliated university or college in the United States.
	The programme is open to pre-final year, full-time EU students studying for a third level (degree/foundation degree/HND) qualification, in any discipline, in a university or college in Northern Ireland. The US colleges and universities waive their normal tuition fees for the students, while the Department pays for costs to bring the students to the USA and provides some further financial support while they are on placement.

Overweight People

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the percentage of  (a) men and  (b) women in Northern Ireland who are overweight.

Paul Goggins: The 1997 Northern Ireland Health and Social Well-being Survey provides the most recent estimate of overweight and obesity levels among adults aged 16+ in Northern Ireland. The survey found that 48 per cent. of men and 32 per cent. of women were overweight, while a further 17 per cent. of men and20 per cent. of women were obese. When combined, the survey found that 65 per cent. of males and 52 per cent. of females were either overweight or obese.

Physiotherapists

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to ensure that  (a) placements and  (b) employment opportunities are available for newly-qualified physiotherapists in Northern Ireland who will complete their training in and after 2006.

Paul Goggins: Placements for undergraduate students are arranged between the university of Ulster, students and health and social services trusts. All graduating physiotherapy students have undertaken the required clinical placement.
	Recruitment is the responsibility of individual health and social services trusts, taking into account service needs and available resources. However, at the overall Northern Ireland level, the balance between physiotherapy supply and demand is monitored through regular DHSSPS work force planning reviews. The Department is currently undertaking a major work force planning review for physiotherapy, the results of which will be published later this year.

Physiotherapists

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate his Department has made of the number of student physiotherapists in Northern Ireland due to graduate in 2006 who are likely to find employment within the NHS.

Paul Goggins: Recruitment is a matter for individual health and social services trusts taking into account service needs and available resources. However, the Department is currently undertaking a major work force planning review of the physiotherapy work force and the destination of new graduates, vacancy levels and related issues will all form part of that review.

Primary School Teachers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what the change in the numbers of fully qualified primary school teachers has been in  (a) the controlled sector and  (b) the maintained sector in Northern Ireland in each year between 1995 and 2005;
	(2)  what the change in the numbers of fully qualified primary school teachers in  (a) the controlled sector and  (b) the maintained sector in Northern Ireland was in each year between 1995 and 2005.

Maria Eagle: The change in the numbers of fully qualified primary school teachers in  (a) the controlled sector, and  (b) the maintained sector in Northern Ireland in each year between 1995 and 2005 is detailed as follows:
	
		
			   School management type  Differences from previous year 
			   Controlled  Maintained  Controlled  Maintained 
			 1995 4,301 4,332   
			 1996 4,258 4,315 -43 -17 
			 1997 4,211 4,276 -47 -39 
			 1998 4,116 4,132 -95 -144 
			 1999 4,040 4,063 -76 -69 
			 2000 4,051 3,986 +11 -77 
			 2001 3,994 3,946 -57 -40 
			 2002 4,050 3,910 +56 -36 
			 2003 4,055 3,900 +5 -10 
			 2004 4,038 3,842 -17 -58 
			 2005 3,949 3,734 -89 -108 
			  Note: Teacher numbers are taken as at October of each of the years in question.

Pupil Behaviour

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions police have been called to schools in Northern Ireland to deal with  (a) drug-related incidents and  (b) incidents involving violence during 2005.

Paul Goggins: The number of occasions when police have been called specifically by schools to deal with a drug related or violent incident is not known. However, according to PSNI records there were 71 drug related offences and 335 violent offences which occurred within the confines of an educational establishment during 2005.

Racial Abuse

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints of racial abuse have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in (i) each Department in Northern Ireland and (ii) his Department in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The information requested is set out in the tables.
	It shows the number of formal internal complaints made by staff in the 11 Northern Ireland Departments, the NIO and their respective agencies.
	
		
			   2005  2004 
			  Department  Investigated  Upheld  Investigated  Upheld 
			 DARD 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DCAL 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DE 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DETI 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DFP 1 0 0 n/a 
			 DEL 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DHSSPS 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DOE 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DRD 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DSD 1 1 0 n/a 
			 OFMDFM 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 NIO 0 n/a 0 n/a 
		
	
	
		
			   2003  2002  2001 
			  Department  Investi- gated  Upheld  Investi- gated  Upheld  Investi- gated  Upheld 
			 DARD 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DCAL 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DE 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DETI 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DFP 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DEL 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DHSSPS 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DOE 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DRD 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 DSD 1 0 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 OFMDFM 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 NIO 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a

Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what definition his Department uses of a 'site positive' feature in the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal system used for rates revaluation.

David Hanson: The definitions of site positive features used within the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal system CAMA are as contained in the table.
	
		
			  Code  Characteristic  Definition 
			 0 None No positive site characteristic. 
			 1 Sea frontage Property boundary actually abuts coast (beach/cliff top). 
			 2 Sea view Substantial view of sea from main accommodation, but property does not abut coast. 
			 3 Sea view limited Substantial view of sea from main accommodation that is partially blocked by other structures/substantial sea view only visible from limited rooms e.g. bedroom. Property does not abut coast. 
			 4 Water frontage Property boundary actually abuts water (lough, substantial river). 
			 5 Water view Substantial view of water from main accommodation, but property does not abut water. 
			 6 Water view limited Substantial view of water from main accommodation that is partially blocked by other structures/water view only visible from limited rooms e.g. bedroom. Property does not abut water. 
			 7 Other premium view full Substantial view of feature from main accommodation. 
			 8 Other premium view limited Partial view of feature from main accommodation or substantial view only visible from limited rooms e.g. bedroom 
			 9 Adjoining parkland Property abuts well-maintained parkland or stately home e.g. Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park, Rowallane, Castlewellan Forest Park, Florencecourt, and Stormont Estate. 
			 10 Adjoining golf course Property abuts golf course. 
			 11 Conservation area Property located in designated conservation area. 
			 12 Other positive (specify) Other positive site characteristic.

Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis water rates will be calculated from April 2007.

David Cairns: The information is as follows:
	 Domestic water charges
	From April 2007 unmeasured household charges for water and sewerage will be introduced. Both charges will consist of a standing charge (estimated at around 55) and a variable element based on the capital value of each property as determined by the Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA) for the purposes of domestic rating. The Government intend to set the new household charges during the three-year period to 2009-10 to achieve the average level of charges that will apply in England and Wales in 2009-10. There will also be a low-income protection scheme. The Government's broad objective is to ensure that low-income households should not need to spend more than 3 per cent. of their income on water and sewerage charges. To achieve this a new affordability tariff will be available for those households which are eligible. This tariff will be based on income and will be set at a level equivalent to 3 per cent. of the single person's pension credit guarantee as updated by Parliament each year. Additional protection in the form of lower caps will be set for those with properties valued at less than 100,000.
	As many as 200,000 households (30 per cent. of all households) in Northern Ireland who presently qualify for rate rebate, housing benefit or the new Northern Ireland Rate Relief Scheme should benefit from this scheme. The affordability tariff will also extend to all 16 to 17-year-old householders and to children leaving care up to the age of 21.
	The new charges will be phased in over a three-year period, with households paying one-third of the full charge in 2007-08, two-thirds in 2008-09 and the full amount in 2009-10. The changes to the non-domestic regime will be introduced on the same basis.
	Also from April 2007, meters will be available to pensioner households who apply. Meters will also be installed in all new properties and first time connections. Where meters are installed, both water and sewerage charges (where appropriate) will consist of a standing charge and a variable element based on consumption as registered on the water meter. Those households receiving a meter bill will pay a standing charge similar to that of unmeasured householders.
	This approach to metering will be subject to a review after two years when the extension of the metering option to further groups will be considered.
	 Non-domestic water charges
	 Metered customers
	Charges will continue to be made up of a standing charge (currently around 50) and a volumetric charge based on the volume of water consumed. All metered customers connected to the public sewer will receive a new sewerage bill of around the same magnitude as their new water bill (except in the case of trade effluent customers).
	 Unmeasured customers
	Water Service is undertaking a programme of extending metering more widely throughout the non-domestic sector. However for those non-domestic customers who remain on an unmeasured supply, water and sewerage charges will both be made up of a standing charge (at a similar level to unmeasured domestic standing charges) plus a variable element based on the rateable value of the premises.
	 Trade Effluent Charges
	Trade effluent charges will be extended to all businesses which discharge trade effluent. The calculation of these charges will continue to be on the basis of the Mogden formula and will be brought fully into line with practice in GB.

Road Traffic Offences

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people lost their driving licences in Northern Ireland as a result of being convicted of road traffic offences in each year between 1995 and 2005.

David Cairns: For previous years the information required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1 May 2005 Driver Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI) has recorded 7,083 disqualifications and at the 5 May the total number of disqualified drivers recorded on the driver licensing system was 16,386.

Schools

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average amount of funding received by  (a) integrated schools and  (b) other schools in Northern Ireland has been for each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: The following table sets out details of the funding for integrated and other schools in Northern Ireland for the last 10 years. It shows average recurrent funding per school in each year and includes amounts made available under Local Management of Schools Formulae (allocated largely on a per pupil basis) and funds held by Boards and the Department which are distributed to schools in the course of the year to meet teacher substitution and other costs funded centrally by funding authorities. The figures exclude funding for special schools and centrally held resources, such as home-to-school transport, school meals and central administration, which are not attributable to individual schools.
	
		
			  Integrated schools (controlled and grant maintained) 
			   Number of schools  Total funding ()  Average spend () 
			 1995-96 23 11,997,360 521,624 
			 1996-97 31 16,772,193 541,038 
			 1997-98 35 21,289,217 608,263 
			 1998-99 40 29,302,465 732,562 
			 1999-2000 43 36,451,764 847,715 
			 2000-01 44 41,834,154 950,776 
			 2001-02 45 46,430,575 1,031,791 
			 2002-03 47 51,151,827 1,088,337 
			 2003-04 50 57,661,816 1,153,236 
			 2004-05 55 61,656,777 1,121,032 
		
	
	
		
			  All other grant-aided schools 
			   Number of schools  Total funding ()  Average spend () 
			 1995-96 1,229 687,672,925 559,539 
			 1996-97 1,222 711,873,610 582,548 
			 1997-98 1,218 727,160,684 597,012 
			 1998-99 1,216 752,664,097 618,967 
			 1999-2000 1,205 795,973,358 660,559 
			 2000-01 1,204 868,617,464 721,443 
			 2001-02 1,200 947,572,220 789,644 
			 2002-03 1,188 977,568,557 822,869 
			 2003-04 1,187 1,031,412,262 868,924 
			 2004-05 1,178 1,043,009,132 885,407

Skin Cancer

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in the number of diagnoses of skin cancer has been in Northern Ireland in each of the last ten years.

Paul Goggins: The following tables detail the number of incidences of Malignant Melanoma of the skin (ICD-10 C43), Non-melanoma skin cancer (ICD-10 C44) and all skin cancers (ICD-10 C43-C44) in Northern Ireland between 1994 and 2003.
	
		
			  Malignant Melanoma of the skin (ICD-10 C43) 
			   Year of diagnosis 
			   1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003 
			 Incident cases 178 169 175 159 177 179 187 215 245 208 
			 Change  -9 +6 -16 +18 +2 +8 +28 +30 -37 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (ICD-10 C44) 
			   Year of diagnosis 
			   1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003 
			 Incident cases 2,093 2,054 2,234 2,196 2,174 2,261 2,213 2,157 2,377 2,414 
			 Change  -39 +180 -38 -22 +87 -48 -56 +220 +37 
		
	
	
		
			  All Skin Cancers (ICD-10 C43 and C44) 
			   Year of diagnosis 
			   1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003 
			 Incident cases 2,271 2,223 2,409 2,355 2,351 2,440 2,400 2,372 2,622 2,622 
			 Change  -48 +186 -54 -4 +89 -40 -28 +250 0 
		
	
	This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry and is the most up to date currently available.

Somme Commemorations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a Minister from his Department will attend the Somme commemorations in France in the summer of 2006.

Peter Hain: As in previous years, a Minister from the Northern Ireland Office will be attending the Somme commemorations in France this year. A Minister will also lay a wreath at the Somme service at BelfastCity Hall.

Special Needs

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in Northern Ireland were assessed as having special needs in  (a) 1995 and  (b) 2005.

Maria Eagle: The number of children with special educational needs at schools in Northern Ireland in 2005-06 is 53,699. The total number of children with special educational needs is not available for 1995-96. However, the number of children with a statement of special educational needs in 1995-96 was 5,718. The number of children with a statement of special educational needs in 2005-06 is 11,968.

Teachers Pay and Pensions Unit

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed in the Teachers Pay and Pensions Unit; and what the implications are for the Unit of the Review of Public Administration.

Maria Eagle: The Department of Education's Teachers Pay and Pensions Branch employs 124 people. The effect that the Review of Public Administration (RPA) will have on this Branch has yet to be determined. The RPA Consultation document of March 2006 proposed that, generally, DE should no longer undertake the direct delivery of services and made explicit mention of the Department's teachers pay and pensions functions as a part of DE likely to be affected by this proposal. Following on from this, and as announced by the Under-Secretary of State for communities and local government, my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela E. Smith) in her statement of 22 November 2005, the Department has conducted an Internal Review to establish which of the functions currently performed within the Department would transfer to the Education and Skills Authority, to be established under the RPA in 2008. This review covers all of the Department's current functions. The Review is still going on. The implications of the RPA for DE staff, including Teachers Pay and Pensions Branch, will be made clear when it reports.

Waste Transfers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to prevent waste from the Irish Republic being transferred to Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) of the Department of the Environment has formed a dedicated Environmental Crime Team to enforce serious breaches of waste legislation, including the illegal transportation and deposition of waste from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to Northern Ireland (NI).
	The legitimate transfer of non-green listed waste is limited, and strictly controlled under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994.
	EHS sits on a number of cross-border groups, set up to improve communication, intelligence sharing and effective measures to reduce illegal waste disposalin NI.
	EHS Officials have given evidence in ROI courts in order to assist the ROI's Environmental Protection Agency in taking action against offenders.
	EHS and the PSNI have carried out a large-scale joint operation which has resulted in the removal of a major illegal waste operator from the activity. As a result, court proceedings are expected later this year.
	EHS has recently secured its first conviction in Crown court against landowners who were running an illegal landfill site to receive ROI waste in Fermanagh. This case has also been referred to the Assets Recovery Agency. The possibility of remediation costs being awarded to EHS will also be explored. The Fermanagh case is the first example of a prosecution case involving environmental offences being heard at Crown court in NI. It represents a major step in achieving a wider recognition of the seriousness of waste crime.

Wind Farm Proposals (Tunes Plateau)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of23 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1879W, on wind farm proposals (Tunes Plateau), whether an application  (a) has been submitted and  (b) is in the process of being submitted.

Maria Eagle: I can confirm that there has been no change in the position reported in the answer of23 January 2006. No application has yet been made in respect of the proposed development at Tunes Plateau and I am not aware of the developers' timescale for submitting such an application.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Belarus

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representationsshe has made to her Belarussian counterpart on the arrest and imprisonment of opposition leaderMr. Milinkevich; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Based on the 1997 General Affairs Council Conclusions, the EU suspended ministerial and high-level contacts with Belarus, while offering dialogue and assistance if Belarus addressed reform. Neither my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) then Foreign Secretary or my right hon. Friend the Member for then Minister for Europe Parsley and Renfrewshire, South (Mr. Alexander) have therefore made representations direct to their respective counterparts. However, my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe made the following statement on Friday 28 April on behalf of the Government:
	I wholeheartedly condemn this action against people who were trying to exercise legitimate rights of freedom of assembly and expression. Once again the Belarusian authorities have demonstrated their lack of tolerance, respect for their people, and adherence to democratic standards.
	In line with the statements of the EU Presidency and colleagues in EU member states, I call on the Belarusian authorities to release immediately Mr Milinkevich, those imprisoned with him and all other political detainees imprisoned following the flawed presidential election on 19 March.

Burma

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her assessment is of the likelihood of restored relations between Burma and North Korea resulting in Pyongyang becoming one of Burma's suppliers of weapons; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We understand the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Burmese Government have an existing military and trade relationship which predates the possible establishment of diplomatic relations. The Burmese military purchases weapons from a number of countries. We would be concerned if the DPRK sought to increase its sales of weapons to Burma.

Burma

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of whether Burma has agreed to restore diplomatic ties with North Korea; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Neither the Burmese government nor the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has made an official statement about the resumption of diplomatic relations, but we are aware of credible media reports to this effect. It is too early to assess what the impact would be, if any, on contacts between the two countries. Burma is currently the only Association of South East Asian Nations country which does not have diplomatic relations with the DPRK.

Burma

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the UK Government have requested from the Burmese military authorities direct access to Aung San Suu Kyi since her detention in May 2003; what the results were of each such request; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: In 2003 and 2004, our embassy in Rangoon sent five official notes formally requesting the Burmese Government to transmit a request to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for our ambassador to meet her. This was at a time when the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) claimed she was not under detention but inaccessible for security reasons. No official response was forthcoming, but when pressed, Burmese officials claimed that Aung San Suu Kyi had not agreed to a meeting. We believe that the requests were not, in fact, submitted to her. The last formal written request to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was made on 21 September 2004. Again, our embassy was orally informed that a meeting would not be possible. At the end of November 2004, the SPDC clarified that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had been put under house arrest, citing Section 10(b) of the 1975 State Protection Law. After the SPDC confirmed that she is, in fact, in detention, our embassy has not sought consular access to her, since she is not a British citizen. However, we continue to press for her release and the release of all political prisoners in Burma.

Burma

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if she will (a) raise the issue of the current Burmese military offensives in Karen state at the UN Security Council and  (b) lobby for Security Council resolutions(i) condemning atrocities by the Burmese military against the Karen, Karenni and Shan people and(ii) imposing a global (A) arms and (B) investment embargo on Burma;
	(2)  what representations she has made to Burma's military regime following the Burmese army's military offensive in western and northern Karen state; what reference was made during those representations to (a) the killing of Karen civilians and  (b) the displacement of people from their homes; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps she  (a) is taking and  (b) plans to take towards preventing the actions of the Burmese military from causing humanitarian problems in eastern Burma.

Ian McCartney: We remain deeply concerned about the political and human rights situation in Burma, including the plight of ethnic groups such as the Karen, Karenni and Shan.
	We condemn the attacks carried out by the Burmese army on civilians in northern and western Karen State. We understand that these attacks have resulted in a significant number of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees on the Thai/Burma border. The EU issued a statement on 3 May expressing its concern about these recent attacks. The statement was sent to the Burmese Ministries of Information and Foreign Affairs.
	The statement can be found on the EU website at: http://www.eu2006.at/en/News/CFSP_Statements/May/0305Myanmar.html?null
	The UK, in response to the humanitarian problems caused by the ongoing conflict in Burma, provides support for IDPs through the International Committee of the Red Cross and for refugees through the Thai Burma Border Consortium.
	A global arms and investment embargo can only be imposed on a state under a Chapter VII Resolution of the UN Security Council. At present there is no agreement within the Security Council, including among the Permanent Members, to add Burma to the Council's formal agenda, which is a pre-requisite for adopting such a resolution. Our UN mission in New York has regular discussions with the UN and Security Council partners on Burma.

Consultants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the companies which were paid consultancy fees by her Department in 2005-06; how much each was paid; and what each of the companies was used to accomplish.

Margaret Beckett: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Jack Straw) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 25 May 2005,  Official Report, column 134W.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people in her Department have been  (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate numbers in each of the last five years.

Margaret Beckett: Breaches of IT policy (inappropriate Internet use and misuse of IT systems) have been monitored periodically since April 2003. This table shows the number of staff who have been disciplined in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Misconduct Procedure. A copy of the procedure is in the Library of the House.
	
		
			   Number of staff 
			   disciplined  dismissed 
			 2003 72 1 
			 2004 36 0 
			 2005 58 0 
			 2006 (to date) 0 0 
		
	
	No staff have been disciplined or dismissed for misuse of premium rate numbers. Staff are told about the FCO's policy on use of emails and the internet when they join the FCO and are reminded about the policy at regular intervals through office notices circulated to all staff (most recently in June 2005).

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the staff in her Department is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled, broken down by grade.

Margaret Beckett: The information requested, for Foreign and Commonwealth Office UK based civil servants, as of 1 April 2006 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Responsibility level  Male  Female  Declared disabled 
			 SCS level 83.6 16.4 1.6 
			 Grade 6/7 69.4 30.6 2.4 
			 SEO/HEO 66.6 33.4 2.4 
			 EO 48.0 52.0 2.9 
			 AO/AA 43.5 56.5 5.1

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what opportunities exist for people to work beyond retirement age in her Department.

Margaret Beckett: Opportunities arise on an ad hoc basis. In normal circumstances we do not expect members of staff to work beyond their normal retirement age. There is provision in our retirement policy for exceptional circumstances where we could agree to re-employing a member of staff at home. For example, there might be operational reasons why we needed to re-employ someone with specialist skills. Normal retirement age for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff is 60 and it is assumed that staff will want to retire at 60 unless they notify the FCO to the contrary six months in advance. However, staff in Band A (clerical or secretarial officers) can choose to retire between the ages of 60 and 65 and staff in Bands B to D (junior and middle managers) between 60 and 63.

Ethiopia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by her Department with the government of Ethiopia to improve prison conditions and to monitor the treatment of prisoners.

Ian McCartney: The UK and other donors have visited a number of prisons in Ethiopia to monitor conditions and treatment of prisoners, and have raised our concerns with government officials. Our embassy in Addis Ababa, along with other donors, is supporting projects with the government and local non-governmental organisations to try to improve conditions for prisoners.
	In 2005-06 the embassy funded the construction of a dormitory in Kaliti prison, Addis Ababa, for 130 female prisoners. The embassy also funded the construction of a biogas digester, dry pit latrines and shower rooms to improve conditions in Metekel prison in Beneshangul regional state.

Ethiopia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has received about the trial of prisoners of conscience for treason in Ethiopia.

Ian McCartney: We have received numerous representations from hon. Members, Members of the European Union Parliament, the public and non-governmental organisations about the trial of Coalition for Unity and Democracy opposition leaders, media and civil society representatives charged with offences after the unrest that followed the elections in Ethiopia last year. Some have been charged with treason.
	We continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Ethiopia at every suitable opportunity.

EU Presidency

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2005,  Official Report, column 2846W, on the EU Presidency, if she will list the small gifts commissioned.

Geoff Hoon: Mugs, umbrellas, bags, keyrings, pocket size clocks and radios, watches and logoed desk items usually provided as part of a marketing campaign.

FCO Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) administrative and  (b) financial changes were required to make FCO Services an executive agency, with particular reference to (i) use of consultants in the process as part of this change and (ii) increases in pay grades of key personnel.

Margaret Beckett: My right. hon. Friend, the then Foreign Secretary issued a Written Ministerial Statement on 20 March 2006  Official Report, columns 5-6WS, announcing that Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Services would become an Executive Agency (EA) of the FCO on 1 April 2006. FCO Services' move to EA status is aimed at achieving best value for money both for the FCO and ultimately for the taxpayer.
	In order to take forward the administrative and financial changes which were necessary, a project team of FCO and FCO Services staff was set up, supported by a small team of three professional consultants.
	The administrative changes have been set out in the Framework Document, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House and I will send a copy to the hon. Member. The financial changes have involved strengthening the FCO Services' Finance team and modifying the FCO's financial management system to enable a proper separation of the Agency's accounts. There have been no increases to the pay grades of key personnel.

Immigration Authorities (Canada)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Canadian embassy regarding the treatment by the Canadian authorities of a Parkinson's disease sufferer from Omagh accused of being a drug addict and returned home following his arrival in Canada from Northern Ireland.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 15 May 2006
	With the limited information provided, we are unable to make representations at this stage. If the hon. Member wishes to provide further details of the incident in writing, we will consider taking appropriate action.

International Arms Trade Treaty

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with  (a) the Prime Minister and  (b) colleagues in the Department of Trade and Industry on a strategy for progress on the International Arms Trade Treaty.

Ian McCartney: There are ongoing discussions on the initiative for an international treaty on the trade in all conventional arms including with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, all interested Government Departments, Industry and civil society. The commitment to work to secure such a treaty was a pledge in the Labour Party's 2005 General Election manifesto.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in her Department.

Margaret Beckett: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts overseas often are able to negotiate special rates with hotels for visitors on official business. Full details of the rates available are set out in the FCO document Worldwide Subsistence Rates, a copy of which will be sent to the hon. Member and also placed in the Library of the House.
	In the UK, Officers undertaking pre-posting training in London can take advantage of corporate rates at a number of central London hotels. A list of these hotels will be sent to the hon. Member and a copy placed in the Library of the House.

Montenegro

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with his EU counterparts on the forthcoming referendum on Montenegrin independence; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: On 27 February the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) discussed the referendum on Montenegrin independence and issued conclusions. The EU has made clear that the referendum, scheduled for 21 May, must be held according to the terms of the Constitutional Charter of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and subsequent legislation, and that the whole process needs to be transparent, consensual and democratic. The conclusions of the 27 February GAERC can be found at: www.consilium.europa.eu.

Pakistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her policy is on Pakistan's application to join the UN Human Rights Council; and if she will take steps to ensure that Pakistan shows clear progress in implementing international human rights standards, especially in relation to the treatment of women and religious minorities, before its membership is approved.

Ian McCartney: Pakistan was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on 9 May, by 149 votes cast in secret ballot, for a term of two years. All members of the Council are expected to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, to co-operate fully with the Council, and to be reviewed under the universal periodic review mechanism during their term of membership. We expect all members to take seriously the important responsibility they have for the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, as the UK has committed to do itself. The UK has, and will continue to have, a regular dialogue with Pakistan on its human rights obligations.

Tibet

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that human rights abuses of Tibetan people are raised by the newly-elected UN Human Rights Council.

Ian McCartney: The Government are very concerned about human rights in Tibet. We regularly raise these concerns with the Chinese Government, through the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, ministerial contact and EU mechanisms. With uncertainty over the format of the first meeting of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in June, we do not yet know what issues will be raised. Given the election of China to the HRC on 9 May, China is likely to resist any moves to raise Tibet at the HRC. We will continue to look for appropriate opportunities to raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities.

Tibet

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she plans to take to raise the human rights of the Tibetan people with the Government of China.

Ian McCartney: The Government regularly raises human rights in Tibet with the Chinese Government, including through the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, ministerial contacts and EU mechanisms. My hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, the Member for Dudley, South (Ian Pearson) raised human rights in Tibet with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on 7 April. Tibetan individual cases of concern will be raised with the Chinese Government at the next rounds of the UK- and EU-China Human Rights Dialogues later this year. We will continue to raise human rights in Tibet at every appropriate opportunity.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what the average time was that an applicant for a visa to the UK waited for a reply at  (a) Amman, Jordan and  (b) other UK embassies in the Middle East in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many visas to the UK have been issued in Amman, Jordan  (a) within (i) 24 hours and (ii) seven days of application and  (b) more than seven days after application in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: UKvisas does not hold statistics on average time scale for reply to visa applications. Visa sections such as that in Amman operate to public service agreement (PSA) targets, which indicate the length of time within which a visa section should aim to resolve an application (issue, refuse, defer or refer for further information). We do not hold these statistics for only those applications which led to a visa being issued. Statistics are compiled and are made publicly available on the UKvisas website to illustrate the performance of individual visa sections against these targets. They may be found at www.ukvisas.gov.uk'Entry Clearance: facts and figures'.
	The Visa Section in Amman has met all of these targets in the last five years.
	The targets since April 2005 are as follows:
	PSA 190 per cent. of straightforward non-settlement visa applications to be processed and available for return to the applicant within 24 hours from the date of receipt by a visa section of the application and all supporting documents including the fee.
	PSA 290 per cent. of non-settlement applications requiring further inquiries or interview to be decided within 15 working days from the date of receipt by a visa section of the application and all supporting documents including the fee.
	PSA 390 per cent. of applicants for settlement visas to be interviewed within target times. For all visa sections in the Middle East this is 12 weeks.
	We are currently processing statistics for 2005-06 and expect to publish them in June.
	At our embassies and consulates in the Middle East, all visa sections met their targets in the last period for which figures are available (financial year April 2004 to March 2005) except for those in Damascus, Jerusalem and Riyadh where some, but not all of the targets, were achieved.
	Prior to April 2005, PSA targets were measured as follows:
	PSA Tier 1 and 290 per cent. of straightforward non-settlement applications to be resolved within 24 hours.
	PSA Tier 3Average waiting time for first interview should be not more than 10 working days.
	PSA Tier 4Average waiting time for settlement interview should not be more than three months.
	Statistics for our embassies and consulates in the Middle East for 2004-05 are as follows:
	
		
			 PSA targets (financial year 2004-05) 
			   Total applications received  Total visas issued  PSA Tier 1 and 2 (percentage)  PSA Tier 3 (average wait in days)  PSA 3 (average wait in months) 
			 Amman 17,435 13,717 (1)106.4 0 0.0 
			 Beirut 9,762 8,932 98.1 0 0.0 
			 Damascus 6,629 1,091 49.4 12 2.5 
			 Jerusalem 1,959 1,689 89.5 0.5 0.5 
			 Tel Aviv 2,857 2,688 94.7 0 0.0 
			 Abu Dhabi 22,231 20,008 100 1 0.1 
			 Bahrain 11,156 10,722 95.3 10 0.5 
			 Doha 11,892 11,625 99.5 1 0.1 
			 Dubai 37,252 35,234 93.8 0 0.0 
			 Jeddah 19,250 18,179 99.8 2 0.2 
			 Kuwait 42,730 40,932 99.8 10 0.5 
			 Muscat 10,296 9,729 94.9 4 0.1 
			 Riyadh 28,261 27,086 85.0 2 0.2 
			 Sana'a (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 
			 Tehran 36,974 27,977 90.5 0 0.8 
			 (1 )This apparent statistical anomaly is most likely to be a result of applications being carried forward from one year to the next) (2) Statistics unavailable 
		
	
	The statistics for Amman for the previous three years are as follows:
	
		
			 PSA targets (prior to 2005-06) 
			   Total applications received  Total visas issued  PSA Tiers 1 and 2 (percentage)  PSA Tier 3 (average waiting time in days)  PSA Tier 4 (Average waiting time in months) 
			 2000(1) 10,114 8,452 91 0.25 1 
			 2001-02 10,227 8,475 90 0.37 0.5 
			 2002-03 10,899 9,793 100 6 0.9 
			 2003-04 13,096 12,284 100 10.5 0.7 
			 (1) Prior to 2001-02, statistics were published by calendar year

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1811W, on visas, if she will define the circumstances under which a visa application would not be straightforward non-settlement; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Straightforward entry clearance applications are defined as those when the decision to issue can be made based on the information immediately available to the Entry Clearance Officer. Non-straightforward applications are those where the Entry Clearance Officer determines that further enquiries need to be made. Non-settlement applications are those categories of entry clearance other than those where the stated purpose of the application is for the applicant to settle in the United Kingdom.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1809W, on visas, 
	(1)  what procedures are followed when an applicant for a visa to enter the UK declares they have been refused protection by the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees;
	(2)  what procedures are followed when an applicant for a visa to enter the UK declares they have been refused entry by other countries; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: All applications for entry clearance to the United Kingdom are considered on a case-by-case basis under the Immigration Rules. Information on previous refusal of entry by other countries or denialof refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will be relevant and will be taken into consideration when a decision on entry clearance is being made.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her policy is on the issuing of visas to enter the UK to individuals who were closely associated with the previous regime in Iraq.

Kim Howells: All applications are assessed on their individual merits and applicants must show that they meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Officials will check existing records for all applications and take any information held into consideration when making a decision on the entry clearance application. There is provision in the Immigration Rules for refusal on the grounds that an applicant would be considered not conducive to the public good. The degree to which an individual was associated with the former regime in Iraq could be relevant to this.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Arrest Warrants

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrest warrants are outstanding for  (a) non-payment of fines and  (b) breaching the conditions of a community service order.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to reply.
	In March 2006 (the last month for which data are available for England and Wales) there were 6,904 outstanding warrants issued for breaching the conditions of a community service order. Information on the number of outstanding arrest warrants for non-payment of fines is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Asylum/Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the safe return of failed asylum seekers.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) is in frequent discussion with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on a wide range of issues that relate to the position of refugees and asylum seekers (including failed asylum seekers).

Asylum/Immigration

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the practice started whereby adult children making representations on immigration-related matters on behalf of their parents through hon. Members are no longer accepted unless the parents themselves have signed a letter authorising it.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 May 2006
	The Secretary of State is required by statute to ensure that an individual's personal information is not unlawfully disclosed to a third party. However, it is not the policy of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) to routinely refuse to provide information to a Member in the circumstances which my hon. Friend has described and each request is considered on its own merits.

Card Durability Survey

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer to Question No. 19869, if he will publish the results of the card durability survey.

Joan Ryan: The results of the Smartcard Durability Study are available on the Identity and Passport Service website: http://www.identitycards.gov.uk/working-suppliers-publications.asp.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answerthe letter to him dated 24 March from the righthon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. S. Akhtar.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate replied to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 2 May 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter to him dated 13 March from the righthon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Dr. S. Brooskol.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 28 April 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter to him dated 13 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard toMr. Earl Anthony Clarke.

John Reid: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on9 May 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter to him dated 6 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard toMr. Khalid Rashid Malik.

John Reid: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate replied to my right hon. Friend on2 May 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to his predecessor dated 27 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Asma Asad.

Tony McNulty: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on11 May 2006.

Deportation

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) reports he has received and  (b) assessment he has made of the treatment of Mr. Arif Dar after deportation to Pakistan; and what the evidential basis was for the assurances given to the hon. Member for Bootle as to Mr. Dar's safety.

Tony McNulty: Updated advice on the situation in Pakistan was received from the Country of Origin Information Service (COIS), an official government unit which specialises in obtaining country information. COIS is regularly approached for advice by the United Kingdom Immigration Service to assist in the removal process.
	There is no evidence to suggest that the alleged treatment that Mr. Dar has received since his return to Pakistan is due to his removal from the UK We do not routinely monitor the treatment of returnees to any country, we would not remove them if we considered that they were likely to suffer persecution on their return.
	Any assurances given regarding this case were based on the up to date information received from COIS concerning Pakistan and the objective opinion of the judiciary who joined the Home Office in believing that Mr. Dar was not likely to suffer persecution should he be returned to Pakistan.

Police

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time police officers and  (b) other employees of Cambridgeshire Constabulary have taken early retirement in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely impact of a merger of the Norfolk constabulary with other forces in terms of  (a) police officer and staff redundancies,  (b) computersystems,  (c) rebranding of uniforms and stationery and  (d) officer relocation.

Liam Byrne: Options involving Norfolk police force have been rigorously assessed. The options have been assessed for operational and financial viability, which includes IT changes. The case for amalgamation of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire police forcescan be found on the Home Office website athttp://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/Force-restructuring.
	Police Officer and staff matters will be an issue for any new force and authority.

Police

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with members of the Norfolk constabulary and the Norfolk police authority regarding the possible creation of strategic forces in the Eastern region.

Liam Byrne: Following the former Home Secretary's letter dated 22 September 2005 inviting forces and authorities to develop options for changes Norfolk police force and authority;
	(i) In early November 2005 the Home Secretary provided feedback to the initial short list of options developed by the force and authority.
	(ii) The Home Secretary met with Norfolk constabulary's chief and chair on 20 March to discuss the findings of assessments undertaken on its Business Case submitted in December 2005.
	Norfolk police authority wrote to the Home Secretary on 11 April 2006 requesting voluntary merger with Suffolk and Cambridgeshire police forces.

Police

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that the Norfolk Constabulary undertakes consultation with members of the public in Norfolk in relation to proposals to merge the constabulary with other police forces; and whether he has made additional funding available to the constabulary for this purpose.

Liam Byrne: When inviting forces and authorities to develop options for change in September 2005, the former Home Secretary requested that they consult and engage all relevant local stakeholders, including local communities, within existing budgets.

Police

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) warranted officers and  (b) special constables there are in Waverley borough council; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Statistics by constituency are not collected centrally. Information by Basic Command Units (BCUs) where Waverley and Guildford form part of the West Surrey BCU, is available. As at 31 March 2005, there were 338 full-time equivalent police officers (including those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave) and 61 (headcount) special constables.
	Deployment of police officers in Surrey to basic command units is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

Secured by Design

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is adopting to promote the Secured by Design initiative.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office supports the Secured By Design initiative which promotes a design-centred approach to crime prevention in the built environment.
	The value of Secured By Design in offering practical advice is already recognised in a number of publications. For example, in the joint guide Safer Places, the planning system and crime prevention (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/Home Office, 2004) www.odpm.gov.uk/planning, a number of good practice case studies involving Secured By Design accredited projects in England are highlighted.
	Home Office crime prevention materials such as Your Business, Keep Crime out of it (Home Office, 2005) www.crimereduction.gov.uk/yourbusiness (a Welsh language version is available from the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff) reflects Secured By Design principles and refers people to the Secured by Design website.
	The Government seeks to signal the importance of crime prevention through environmental design as widely as possible. In November 2005, through the National Community Safety Plan 2006-2009 (HM Government, 2005) www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ncsp, Government Departments gave an undertaking to ensure that guidance is in place to help local authorities design out crime.
	Secured By Design will have a role to play in that.

Terrorism Relief Fund

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department whether the Government's1 million endowment to the new Terrorism Relief Fund may be spent on those affected by terrorism before the establishment of the fund.

Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
	Since the Budget we have been working with the Red Cross and victims groups to develop proposals for how the 1 million fund will operate. We will make an announcement soon.

UK Prisoners Abroad

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK citizens are detained in overseas gaols, broken down by country.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	On 31 March 2006, British consular officials were aware of 2,255 British Nationals detained in overseas prisons. The breakdown by country is shown as follows. These figures include detainees on remand, as well as those serving sentences.
	
		
			  Country  Number of detainees 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 1 
			 Argentina 14 
			 Australia 298 
			 Austria 5 
			 Azerbaijan 1 
			 Bahrain 3 
			 Bangladesh 1 
			 Barbados 3 
			 Belgium 31 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 
			 Brazil 37 
			 Bulgaria 1 
			 Cambodia 1 
			 Canada 19 
			 China 15 
			 Columbia 2 
			 Costa Rica 3 
			 Croatia 1 
			 Cyprus 19 
			 Czech Republic 1 
			 Denmark 5 
			 Dominica 1 
			 Dominican Republic 3 
			 Ecuador 10 
			 Egypt 2 
			 Ethiopia 1 
			 France 96 
			 Germany 146 
			 Grand Cayman 1 
			 Ghana 5 
			 Greece 11 
			 Grenada 1 
			 Guyana 2 
			 Hungary 1 
			 India 24 
			 Indonesia 8 
			 Iran 2 
			 Iraq 1 
			 Ireland 79 
			 Italy 18 
			 Jamaica 113 
			 Japan 25 
			 Israel 1 
			 Kenya 1 
			 Korea (South) 1 
			 Kuwait 3 
			 Laos 2 
			 Lebanon 3 
			 Luxembourg 4 
			 Malaysia 4 
			 Malta 5 
			 Mauritius 1 
			 Mexico 7 
			 Morocco 1 
			 Namibia 1 
			 Nepal 1 
			 Netherlands 37 
			 New Zealand 10 
			 Nicaragua 1 
			 Norway 1 
			 Oman 1 
			 Pakistan 2 
			 Panama 5 
			 Peru 16 
			 Philippines 19 
			 Poland 1 
			 Portugal 23 
			 St. Lucia 6 
			 St. Vincent 1 
			 Saudi Arabia 1 
			 Senegal 1 
			 Sierra Leone 2 
			 Singapore 7 
			 South Africa 12 
			 Spain 233 
			 Sri Lanka 2 
			 Sweden 18 
			 Switzerland 6 
			 Taiwan 22 
			 Thailand 116 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 16 
			 Tunisia 1 
			 Turkey 2 
			 United Arab Emirates 19 
			 USA 598 
			 Venezuela 21 
			 Vietnam 6 
			 Zimbabwe 2

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Churchdown School

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will make a decision on the application by Churchdown School, Gloucester, for permission to dispose of school playing fields; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The application by Churchdown School, Gloucester, to dispose of school playing fields is under consideration. Officials are in communication with the school, but it is too soon to say when a decision will be made.

Examination Results

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) GCSE and  (b) A-level examination results were in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2004 and (iv) 2005 of the three non-selective state secondary schools nearest to each of the academies opened in (A) September 2002, (B) September 2003 and (C) September 2004; and what the equivalent results were in each of the three academies.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the House Libraries.

School Closures

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the schools where  (a) closures and  (b) standard number reductions are planned, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Jacqui Smith: Where a local authority or governing body plan to close a school they must first consult interested parties, then, after considering views, and if they wish to proceed, must publish statutory proposals. Following publication, and a period for representations, the proposals will be decided by the local authority (if they published the proposals and there are no objections), the local School Organisation Committee (SOC) or the Schools Adjudicator (if the SOC cannot reach a unanimous decision). The Department is not routinely informed of consultations but must be provided with copies of published proposals and the final decisions taken.
	I have placed two tables in the House Library. Table A lists the 378 schools for which the Department has been informed statutory proposals for closure have been published and approved. Table B lists the 75 schools for which the Department has been informed statutory proposals for closure have been published but has not yet been informed of a decision.
	Both tables include schools that are closing, or have been proposed for closure, for a range of reasons. These include cases where the schools proposed for closure are: to be replaced by another school, sometimes on the same site (for example by an academy or a school with a religious character); amalgamating (for example, infant and junior schools) or are part of another local reorganisation. The tables exclude special school and nursery school closure proposals.
	Standard numbers were abolished by the Education Act 2002. They were replaced by a net capacity formula which assesses the capacity of the school and derives an indicated admission number. When setting the admission number for the school, the admission authority must have regard to the indicated admission number however they can set a number that is higher or lower if they wish. If they set a number that is lower, they must publish a notice to inform local parents. The Department does not maintain a central record of proposals to lower admission numbers.

School Fires

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the risk to life posed by fires in schools.

Jim Knight: Of paramount concern is the safety of pupils, teachers and other users of schools, and regulations are in place to ensure the risk to life posed by school fires is low. Regulation 17 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 requires that every part of a school building, and of the land provided for a school, shall be such that the safe escape of the occupants in case of fire is reasonably assured. Schools are also covered by the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and by subsequent related regulations. These include aspects of fire safety.
	Since April 2001, all new building work in schools has been subject to approval under the Building Regulations. If a building is designed in accordance with the guidance in Approved Document B (Fire Safety), which accompanies Part B of the Building Regulations, a satisfactory standard of life safety will be achieved.

School Fires

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost of fire damage to schools.

Jim Knight: The Office of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is the lead Department for fire safety policy. The latest figures we have from DCLG are for 2003-04 and show that 1,359 school fires were attended by local authority fire and rescue services. This is broadly in line with the previous year and a drop of around 130 on 2001-02. Using ODPM's latest Cost of Fire Estimates, published last year, the total cost of property damage due to school fires in 2003-04 amounted to just under62 million.

School Fires

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make fire sprinklers obligatory in all new build and refurbished schools.

Jim Knight: All new building work at schools is subject to approval under the Building Regulations. These regulations do not currently require the installation of sprinklers in schools, but that does not stop local authorities from specifying their use. In our Managing School Facilities Guide 6, Fire Safety, we give the example of a school in an area of high arson risk as being a suitable candidate for having sprinklers installed (see www.teachernet.gov.uk/fire). However, we recognised the need to provide more detailed guidance than before.
	We work closely with colleagues in the new Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and, liaising with them, we produced new draft guidance on fire safetyBuilding Bulletin (BB) 100, Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools. It stresses the value of using risk assessments to determine what sort of fire detection and alarm systems should be used in each school, and whether or not sprinklers should be installed. While saying that a building designed in accordance with the guidance in Approved Document B (Fire Safety), which accompanies the Building Regulations, will achieve a satisfactory standard of life safety, it also suggests ways of improving property protection.
	Public consultation on the draft BB 100 was completed in November last year, to the same timeframe as DCLG's consultation on its review of the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations. An analysis of the responses is almost complete and we aim to publish the final version of BB 100 in the autumn.
	We are also doing specific work on sprinklers.We have commissioned the Building Research Establishment to carry out a cost benefit analysis of installing sprinklers in schools. Work on this is due to be completed shortly and it should provide robust figures for installation costs, and how these might be partially offset, together with a set of tools to help those carrying out risk assessments.

School Statistics

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils  (a) are in receipt of free school meals,  (b) have special educational needs and  (c) are from ethnic minority families in each secondary school in England that selects (i) wholly and (ii) partly by ability; and what the equivalent percentages are for the local authority in which each school is located.

Jim Knight: holding answer 10 May 2006
	The available information has been placed in the Library.
	Information is given on all grammar schools. It is not possible to identify partially selective schools as they are not designated as such and therefore the Department has no definitive list.

Staff Dispute

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the dispute between the University and Colleges Employees Association and the Association of University Teachers does not adversely affect students taking final examinations this year.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 8 May 2006
	It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs) to consider how best they can minimise the adverse effects on students of the current dispute, including making contingency arrangements for exams and assessment. HEIs, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government play no part in this.
	While this is a matter for unions and employers, I am disappointed that this has come to industrial action and that students' progress is being threatened by this dispute. The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which I believe the academic unions should now formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

Temporary Classrooms (East Riding)

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils are being taught in temporary classrooms in each school in the East Riding of Yorkshire; how many pupils he expects to be being taught in such classrooms at the start of the 2006-07 academic year; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: East Riding of Yorkshire local authority advises that a total of 1,663 pupils are currently housed in temporary classrooms, with 1,628 anticipated at the start of the 2006-07 academic year. The number at each school is as follows:
	
		
			   Current  September 2006 
			 Beswick and Watton C of E Primary 30 30 
			 Beverley High 74 74 
			 Beverley Minster C of E Primary 165 165 
			 Beverley St. Nicholas Primary 75 75 
			 Boynton Primary 30 30 
			 Bubwith Primary 30 30 
			 Burstwick Community Primary 60 60 
			 Driffield 62 62 
			 Elloughton Primary 60 60 
			 Garton on the Wolds C of E Primary 30 30 
			 Gembling Primary 30 30 
			 Hessle High 120 120 
			 Hessle Penshurst Primary 15 0 
			 Hutton Cranswick Community Primary 50 50 
			 King's Mill 15 15 
			 Kingsway Primary 50 50 
			 Langtoft Primary 15 15 
			 Longcroft 100 100 
			 Martongate Primary 25 25 
			 Middleton on the Wolds C of E Primary 25 25 
			 Nafferton Primary 15 15 
			 North Frodingham Primary 25 25 
			 Patrington C of E Primary 40 40 
			 Riverside Special 30 30 
			 Sledmere Primary 25 25 
			 South Hunsley 100 100 
			 St. Anne's Special 39 39 
			 St. Mary's RC Primary 6 6 
			 Sutton Upon Dewrwent C of E Primary 20 0 
			 Swanland Primary 60 60 
			 The Snaith School 50 50 
			 Thorngumbald Infant 20 20 
			 Wetwang C of E Primary 20 20 
			 Withernsea Infant 60 60 
			 Woldgate School and Sixth Form Centre 42 42 
			 Wolfreton 50 50 
		
	
	Not all of the pupils' time during the school day will be spent in these classrooms. The number of temporary classrooms used by the authority is broadly half that used 10 years ago.

Examination Boycott

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking to address the boycott of assessment and examination activity called for by the Association of University Teachers.

Bill Rammell: It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs) to consider how best they can minimise the adverse effects on students of the current dispute, including making contingency arrangements for exams and assessment. HEIs, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government play no part in this.
	While this is a matter for unions and employers, I am disappointed that this has come to industrial action and that students' progress is being threatened by this dispute. The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which I believe the academic unions should now formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

Examination Boycott

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a continued boycott of assessment and examination activity by further and higher education teachers on initiatives to increase the enrolment of overseas students at English universities.

Bill Rammell: We have made no such assessment. It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs) to consider how best they can minimise the adverse effects on students of the current dispute, including assessing any negative impact on the enrolment of students.
	The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which the Government would encourage the academic unions to formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

Examination Boycott

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of strike action by university staff on (a) academic teaching and  (b) marking and assessment of university students;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of students who will not be able to  (a) sit examinations and  (b) graduate this year as a result of strike action by university staff.

Bill Rammell: We have made no such assessment or estimate. It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs), as autonomous bodies, to consider how best they can assess and minimise the adverse effects of the current dispute. HEIs are responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government play no partin this.
	While this is a matter for unions and employers, I am disappointed that this has come to industrial action and that students' progress is being threatened by this dispute. The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which I believe the academic unions should now formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

Examination Boycott

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to ensure that university examination papers are marked and degrees awarded accordingly in the event of industrial action by university teachers in summer 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 11 May 2006
	It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs) to consider how best they can minimise the adverse effects on students of the current dispute, including making contingency arrangements for exams and assessment. HEIs, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government play no part in this.
	While this is a matter for unions and employers, I am disappointed that this has come to industrial action and that students' progress is being threatened by this dispute. The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which I believe the academic unions should now formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Debt Collectors

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether her Department uses the services of private debt collectors.

Bridget Prentice: A key responsibility of my Department is to ensure respect for the orders of the courts and this includes through working in partnership (where appropriate) with the private sector. For example:
	The Legal Services Commission instructs private debt collection agencies, where appropriate, to seek information as to the whereabouts of the debtor and/or the collection of the debt.
	In April 2006, Regional contracts were let to enable HMCS to employ Approved Enforcement Agents for the execution of warrants.
	In Greater Manchester a trial has been undertaken whereby old outstanding fines accounts have been given to private sector partners as an additional enforcement tool available to the magistrates courts when they have exhausted all the mechanisms directly available to them. Officials are currently evaluating the outcome of that trial.

Magistrates

Rudi Vis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates have been disciplined for discriminatory sentencing in the lastten years.

Harriet Harman: No magistrates have been disciplined for their sentencing decisions in the past 10 years. Like other judicial office holders, magistrates are independent and their decisions as such can only be challenged through the courts, not through a disciplinary process. If a higher court considering an appeal from magistrates was concerned that a sentencing decision appeared to have been reached on an improper basis involving misconduct, whether because of discrimination or for other reasons, it would be possible for the court concerned to refer the conduct of the magistrates, as opposed to their decision, to the Office for Judicial Complaints to be considered on behalf of the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice. Similarly, if in the course of a case magistrates make discriminatory comments or otherwise behave in a way which suggests that they are acting improperly, it is possible for a complaint about their conduct to be made to the Office for Judicial Complaints.
	The Office for Judicial Complaints was created on3 April 2006. Previously complaints about magistrates' conduct were made to the Lord Chancellor. During 2005, 89 complaints were referred to him, of which he upheld 63.

Small Claims

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps are being taken to provide greater assistance to claimants in the small claims court who are not legally represented.

Harriet Harman: All county courts are now accredited by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) as Assisted Information Points, for the Community Legal Service (CLS) Direct Scheme. Unrepresented claimants and defendants who require legal advice are referred to CLS Direct by court staff. CLS Direct can give free advice to those eligible, or can direct people to other sources of free legal advice/assistance in their local area.
	The small claims support service being piloted at Reading provides unrepresented litigants with general information and practical assistance on the small claims process. Evaluation of the results will inform the development of departmental plans for offering further help to unrepresented litigants.
	In addition, Her Majesty's Courts Service has recently embarked on a study to identify ways in which its website can be made more user friendly to litigants in person who are pursuing small claims. It will consider the means of providing better access to information and assistance through a series of gateways linking to help on different aspects of the court process, relevant court leaflets, and signposts to other agencies and sources of advice.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Action Teams

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many departmental staffare employed in Action Teams in  (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and  (c) in each Action Team area; and how they will be redeployed when Action Team activity ends in September.

Anne McGuire: There are 472.19 full-time equivalent (FTE) departmental staff undertaking work for or in connection with Action Teams in the UK, of which 45.5 are in Scotland.
	The Action Team programme is due to finish in September and Jobcentre Plus district managers are working with human resource teams to plan the re-deployment of staff currently engaged in Action Team activity. This is within the wider context of work force planning across Jobcentre Plus districts. Trade union side have been engaged in these discussions.
	Information on the number of FTE staff employed in each Action Team area is in the table.
	
		
			  Department for Work and Pensions staff employed in each Action Team area 
			  Region  District  Number 
			 London Central London 16.9 
			  City and East London 10.88 
			  Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth 9 
			  North and North East London 9.83 
			  South and South East London 32.15 
			
			 North East South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham 49.68 
			  Northumbria and Gateshead 6.79 
			  Tees Valley 25.54 
			
			 North West Cumbria 7.68 
			  Lancashire 12.76 
			  Greater Manchester Central 66.26 
			  Greater Mersey 48.37 
			  Liverpool and Wirral 10.22 
			
			 Scotland Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway 7.5 
			  Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 9.47 
			  Highland, Islands, Clyde Coast and Grampian 11.79 
			  Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 16.29 
			
			 South East Kent 10.83 
			
			 South West Devon and Cornwall 9.36 
			
			 Wales Bridgend and Eastern Valleys 22.73 
			  South East Wales Cardiff and Vale 8.33 
			  Swansea and West Wales 25.54 
			
			 West Midlands Black Country 14.46 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside South Yorkshire 18.16 
			  North and East Yorkshire 11.67 
			 Total UK  472.19 
			
			 Total Scotland  45.05 
			  Notes: 1. Data excludes management and administrative activity as confirmed data are not available, however, the assumption is that an additional 13 per cent. FTE staff are engaged in this capacity. 2. Data are clerically collected and are provided through the Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Information system. 3. Data are calculated on full-time equivalent staff and not on individuals.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Human Resources Directorate.

Action Teams

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Action Teams for Jobs; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Action Teams have been successful in helping more than 162,000 people into work. A review of Action Teams for Jobs DWP Research Report 328 'Review of Action Teams for Jobs' was published in March 2006 and is available in the Library.

Carers

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what percentage of applicants has been refused carers' grants on the basis of means-testing in each local authority in each year since the creation of the grant;
	(2)  what guidelines his Department issues to local authorities on the means-testing of carers' grants;
	(3)  according to what criteria carers' grants are awarded.

Ivan Lewis: holding answers 12 May 2006
	I have been asked to reply.
	This Government introduced the carers grant in 1999 to support councils in providing breaks and other services for carers in England. The grant is not paid to individuals but paid each year to councils as a specific formula grant. There are no conditions attached. Individual carers have a right to an assessment of their ability to provide and continue to provide care under section 1 of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000. Services are not subject to a means test, though local authorities are able to charge for the carers' services they provide. However, carers cannot be charged for community care services provided to people they care for, including the services provided to enable carers to take a break from caring.
	Although there are no conditions attached to the carers grant funding for 2006-07 and 2007-08, the Commission for Social Care Inspection's delivery and improvement statement will monitor the provision of services to carers. As a result, the Department issues guidance to councils to remind them that the policy intention behind the grant is to support carers.

Demographics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policies his Department is adopting in response to the likely future decrease in the ratio of workers to pensioners.

James Purnell: The Pensions Commission has made a thorough analysis of the changing demographic position in the UK. Today there are four workers to every pensioner. By 2050, it is expected that there will be only be two workers to every pensioner in the UK.
	We are determined to meet the challenge of an ageing population. Any reform we take forward will be guided by five key tests: whether it promotes personal responsibility, is simple, fair, affordable and sustainable.
	We have taken steps to build consensus through the National Pensions Debate and will bring forward a White Paper by the end of the month, setting out our proposals for pension reform.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department will seek an increase in funding of the Financial Assistance Scheme in the next spending review; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Prime Minister recently announced to the House of Commons that we will expedite the review of the Financial Assistance Scheme and its funding.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when former employees of Triplex Components Group Ltd. of Walton, Peterborough will have their cases expedited under the financial assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Triplex scheme has been determined to be a qualifying pension scheme. As the scheme is still in the process of winding up, the FAS operational unit will not yet be able to calculate final payments. However, trustees are able to request that the FAS scheme manager make initial payments to eligible survivors, or to those members who have already reached the age of 65 or who are terminally ill.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the projected funding requirements are of the Financial Assistance Scheme in  (a) 2007 to 2010 and  (b) 2010 to 2013.

James Purnell: It will not be possible to provide firm estimates until we have assessed the eligibility of each scheme and its members. Our current estimates in current cash terms, based on data provided by a number of schemes in late 2004, are shown in the following table. The estimates will change in the light of improved information. Over the longer term we estimate expenditure to be broadly in line with20 million over 20 years.
	
		
			  Pay 80 per cent. to those within three years of Scheme Pension Age 
			million, cash 
			 2007-08 15 
			 2008-09 25 
			 2009-10 30 
			 2010-11 30 
			 2011-12 25 
			 2012-13 25

Financial Capability

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions what initiatives his Department andits non-departmental bodies support to promote  (a) financial education,  (b) financial advice,  (c) financial inclusion and  (d) financial capability; which organisations are involved in delivering each initiative; and how much funding is provided to each by (i) his Department and its non-departmental public bodies, (ii) other Government Departments, (iii) the private sector and (iv) the voluntary sector.

James Plaskitt: Through the Pensions Education Fund, the Department for Work and Pensions is undertaking an initiative from January 2006 to March 2008 offering funding to local and national not-for-profit organisations (such as trades unions, charities, trade associations and the voluntary sector), to use innovative ways to increase financial awareness and encourage working people to provide for their retirement. The objective of the fund is to deliver better retirement planning information to individuals in the workplace.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is making 5.5 million available to fund initiatives, selected through the Pensions Education Fund bidding process. Projects will be delivered in the period January 2006 to March 2008.
	As part of the Government's strategy to increase access to affordable credit, we are introducing the Growth Fund from summer 2006. The Growth Fund will be used to increase the availability of affordable personal loans to financially excluded people, and will be delivered by low cost lenders from the not-for-profit and private sector.
	We will also introduce arrangements whereby lenders meeting certain criteria will be able to apply for deductions from a range of income replacement benefits to repay loans in the event of default.
	As part of the Government's strategy to increase access to banking, we introduced universal banking and the Payment Modernisation Programme during 2002-05. This resulted in more than 10 million people receiving information from us about the types of account available prior to moving from payment by order book to payment into an account and, importantly, using their account on a regular basis to conduct their business.
	Implementation costs of the deductions scheme and the Growth Fund are funded by the Financial Inclusion Fund. Final figures for the deductions scheme are not yet available but we do not expect to spend as much as the 10 million allocated for both initiatives.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of workers receiving the minimum wage are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.

James Plaskitt: The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will request the Pensions Regulator to publish details of the background to his decision in the case of the Kvaerner Pension Fund.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	No. This is a matter for the Pensions Regulator. Furthermore to publish these details would breach the confidentiality of information exchanged between the parties and the Regulator.

Pensions

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that the pension forecasting team states in correspondence with inquirers whether national insurance data has been taken into account when making a pension forecast.

James Purnell: Customers are advised in their state pension forecasts that the information is based on their national insurance (NI) record. This information is provided to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and sourced from their national insurance recording system (NIRS).

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State forWork and Pensions when he plans to publish the Government's White Paper on pensions reform.

James Purnell: We plan to publish a White Paper on pensions reform by the end of the month.

WALES

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions Ministers of State in his Department stayed overnight in  (a) five star,  (b) four star and  (c) three star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Peter Hain: In the last three years, there was only one foreign visit by a Wales Office Minister, to China in April 2004. Three five star hotels were used and the booking arrangements were made by the Foreign Commonwealth Office, at a Government negotiated rate, on behalf of the Wales Office.
	Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year, this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department have stayed overnight in (i) five star, (ii) four star and (iii) three star hotels in each of the last three years.

Peter Hain: Travel and subsistence rules do not require the claim to state the star rating of the accommodation used. Claims are limited under those rules to set maximum values, both in the UK and, under Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance, overseas. Therefore the information is not held by the Wales Office and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	In the case of a ministerial visit to China in April 2004 supporting officials and special advisers were accommodated in five star hotels in the three cities visited. These were booked by the FCO, at a Government discounted rate.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department staying overnight in(i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland,(iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in each of the last three years.

Peter Hain: The costs of the Wales Office for overnight accommodation is as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Great Britain and Northern Ireland  Republic of Ireland  Overseas 
			  2004-05
			 Special advisers 1,353.85 0 1,037.14 
			 Civil servants 2,740.59 0 2,074.28 
			 
			  2005-06
			 Special advisers 999.90 0 0 
			 Civil servants 5,175.38 0 0 
		
	
	Expenditure records kept do not differentiate between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so are given as one sum. Expenditure records kept prior to 2004 did not separate any accommodation costs and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Portland PR

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has with his Department; and what the nature of the contract is in each case

Peter Hain: The Department does not maintain a central list of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code and Guidance for civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government. There have been no such contracts.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Wales how much has been paid in  (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his private office in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office employs two special advisers who are paid in accordance with the Cabinet Office pay scales for special advisers.
	Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statementmade by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS.
	Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	In 2004-05 the Wales Office paid 552.96 in subsistence and 613.90 in travelling expenses, and in 2005-06 the Wales Office paid 317.90 in subsistence and 319.80 in travelling expenses to special advisers.
	Records kept before 2004 do not separate these costs, and this could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. All official travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
	From 2004-06 the Wales Office has not paid removal expenses for any special adviser and earlier records could be searched only at disproportionate cost.

Staff Development

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost was of  (a) staff away days and  (b) staff team building exercises in his Department in each of the last three years.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office held a staff away day in February 2003. Expenditure records for that period do not separate this cost. This could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. A team-building event was held at the beginning of this financial year, but has not yet been brought to account.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anhydrite Mines

Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities where housing has been built on disused anhydrite mines.

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	No estimate of the number of local authorities where housing has been built on disused anhydrite minerals was made by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Audit Commission

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to cap the audit fees charged by the Audit Commission to parish councils.

Phil Woolas: The Audit Commission has fixed its fee scales for the vast majority of non Best Value local (parish and town) councils from 2006 until 2011 following a consultation exercise with the sector.
	In addition, a significant number of local councils will see a reduction in fees following the recent amendments to the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003, which increased the threshold at which local councils are eligible for the limited assurance regime from 500,000 to 1 million. A further reduction in the burden for smaller local councils is achieved by increasing the threshold at which local councils may account on the basis of receipts and payments from 100,000 to 200,000.
	We consider that these measures already taken to reduce the impact of audit fees on local councils are sufficient and do not seek to impose a cap.

Community Area Committees

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether she plans to increase the powers delegated to community area committees;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the role and responsibilities of community area committees.

Phil Woolas: Our local government White Paper later this year will set out our plans for devolving powers for local areas and neighbourhoods.

Conferences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what overseas conferences staff from her Department will attend in the next 12 months; and what conferences stafffrom the predecessor department attended in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: Staff from the Department for Communities and Local Government have attended a number of conferences overseas in the last 12 months. However, there is no centrally held record of these and to compile one could be done only at disproportionate cost.

E-Government Partnerships

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the regional e-Government partnerships in England; and what the budget was for each in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: There are currently nine e-Government regional partnerships in England:
	South West Region
	London Connects
	North West Electronic Gov Group
	West Midlands SMART Region
	East of England Region
	East Midlands reg. e-Gov Partnership
	North East Connects
	South East Forum for e-Government
	Yorkshire and Humber e-region Partnership.
	Each have been allocated 50,000 in 2005-06 to help with sustainability.

Financial Allocations

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been allocated to the  (a) North East Regional Smartcard Consortium and  (b) North East Trusted Service Infrastructure.

Angela Smith: 250,000 was allocated tothe North East Regional Smartcard Consortium in2002-03. No funds were allocated to the North East Trusted Service Infrastructure.

Fire Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many fire authorities have not  (a) prepared and  (b) published a race equality scheme;
	(2)  how many fire authorities have reviewed their relevant policies and functions in respect of racial equality in accordance with Commission for Racial Equality guidance and published the results.

Angela Smith: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, my hon. Friend may be interested to know that in 2004 the Chief Fire Officers Association developed an Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit to support fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) in complying with the requirements of the Race Relation (Amendment) Act 2000 to ensure that all new policies, procedures, plans and practices have been assessed for impact with regard to race. It included a template for review and update of FRA race equality schemes. In 2005 the toolkit was circulated so that all FRAs could carry out equality impact assessments and a number of regional workshops were held to provide training for policy officers and equality and diversity professionals within the service.

Fire Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding resources have been provided to fire authorities in order to facilitate the implementation of their race equality schemes.

Angela Smith: Under the Provisions of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 fire and rescue authorities have a statutory duty to develop and implement race equality schemes for their organisations. Funding for this function is provided through the revenue support grant allocated to each authority.

Fire Service

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what rules govern whether the Army may use Fire Service appliances in the event of industrial action.

Angela Smith: When armed forces personnel have provided support they have only been authorised to operate equipment on which they had been trained.

Fire Service

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fire appliances the Army has for providing fire cover; and how old the appliance is in each case.

Angela Smith: The armed forces have no fire appliances for providing emergency fire cover. In accordance with the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework 2006 to 2008, fire and rescue authorities are expected to supply all fire appliances and equipment required to provide emergency fire and rescue cover.

Fire Service

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has received the Fire Brigade Union's alternative proposals for emergency control centres, Regional Controls: National Resilience; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: A copy of proposals was sent to the Deputy Prime Minister at the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 25 January 2005 by FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack. He and my predecessor the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town(Jim Fitzpatrick) subsequently met with Mr. Wrack on 7 February to discuss the proposals.
	We welcome the FBU's recognition of the need to strengthen national resilience. On the basis of the limited details available in the document, we do not believe that the proposals offer a viable alternative to the FiReControl project. They would not provide a genuinely resilient solution and would be likely to increase costs.

Fire Service

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many firemen were killed while on duty in  (a) England, (b) the North East and  (c) the Tees Valley in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: The following table shows the number of firefighters killed while attending a fire in each year since 1997 in  (a) England,  (b) North East,  (c) Tees Valley.
	
		
			  Firefighters killed while attending a fire, 1997 to 2005 
			   England  North East  Tees Valley 
			 1997
			 1998
			 1999
			 2000
			 2001
			 2002 1   
			 2003
			 2004 2   
			 2005 2   
			 Source: Fire and Rescue Service FDR1 returns to ODPM.

Housing

Michael Gove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment on the aesthetic quality of homes built under the Government's Sustainable Communities Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	ODPM Ministers have held a series of meetings with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and have invited CABE to wider meetings and events. Matters for discussion have included the quality and design of new homes. CABE representatives are also considering a programme of work on improving design in the Thames Gateway.

Housing

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what he expects the average market price of his Department's 60,000 home to be in  (a) Milton Keynes and  (b) each region when the first homes are made available to the public.

Yvette Cooper: The Design for Manufacture competition is being run by English Partnerships on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It is anticipated that there will be mixed tenure on each site, with some homes being available for affordable rent, some under shared equity and some for private sale.
	The aim of the competition is to demonstrate how to build cost-effectively across a range of housing types without sacrificing quality. The target is for high-quality 76.5 square metre home to be built for a construction cost of 60,000 or less with larger and smaller homes being built at a similar cost-efficiency. Each of the 10 sites chosen for the Design for Manufacture competition by English Partnerships is being sold to the successful developers in the usual way. Developers will be responsible for determining the final sales price for dwellings for full sale. Actual sales costs will be known once the homes are built on site and details finalised in accordance with market conditions at the time. Homes available through shared equity schemes on the first four sites are expected to cost 55,000 to 70,000 for a 50 per cent. share.

Kilmartin Property Group

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will call in the application by Kilmartin Property Group for a retail development in Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, for consideration alongside the other major retail applications in Berwick-upon-Tweed which she has already called in.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 9 May 2006
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, is already giving very careful consideration to whether she should intervene in the application by Kilmartin Property Group for retail development at Ord Road, Tweedmouth.
	The local planning authority, Berwick-upon-Tweed borough council, consulted the Secretary of State on 19 April 2006 in accordance with her Shopping Direction. She expects to make a decision in the very near future on whether to intervene, taking her policy on calling-in planning applications into account. In the meantime, the council has been directed not to grant planning permission for the proposed development without further authorisation from the Secretary of State.
	I shall ensure that the right hon. Member is notified of the decision.

Local Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to publish proposals on reforming the legislation on the political restrictions on local government employees.

Phil Woolas: Our Discussion Paper, Standards of Conduct in English Local Government, published on 15 December 2005, included our proposals for changes to the legislation on the political restrictions relating to local government employees.

Local Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what obligations the best value regime imposes on local authorities' procurement processes.

Phil Woolas: Subject to their legal duties, including the duty of best value and public procurement law, local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions. The duty of best value as laid down in the Local Government Act 1999 requires authorities to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which they exercise their functions, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This includes the duty they are under in relation to procurement.

Local Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information local authority planning departments provide to Ordnance Survey in relation to  (a) individual planning andbuilding permissions,  (b) change of use,  (c) starts and  (d) completions.

Angela Smith: Ordnance Survey receives information from many, though not all, local authorities. There is no uniform format or frequency for the provision of such information, and items received vary from copies of planning committee decisions to very detailed site plans. Some information is received electronically although most is in paper form. The information received can include some or all of the categories mentioned in the question.
	Ordnance Survey also has a commercial contract with a private sector supplier for regular supply of change intelligence information, some of which is obtained from local authority sources.
	The information is used for scheduling survey activities to keep the National Geospatial Database up-to-date.

Local Services (Tendering)

Roger Berry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect on local user-led organisations of local authorities putting services out to competitive tender.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had not undertaken any assessment of the impact on user-led organisations of local authorities' competitive tendering practices.

Ordnance Survey

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant tothe answer to the hon. Member for Meriden(Mrs. Spelman), of 20 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1694W, on Ordnance Survey, which external suppliers have provided aerial photographs.

Angela Smith: Aerial photography has been provided under contract to Ordnance Survey by the following external suppliers from April 2001 to March 2006:
	Simmons Aerofilms Limited
	Getmapping plc
	UK Perspectives
	BKS Surveys Limited
	IGN France International
	Kampsax A/S

Ordnance Survey

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Ordnance Survey has used satellite photography in the last five years.

Angela Smith: Ordnance Survey has not used satellite photography for production purposes in the last five years. However, it has evaluated the potential of satellite imagery to meet current and future business needs. This has included an assessment of data from the Quickbird, Ikonos and Spot5 high resolution satellites for potential use in change detection and feature extraction applications.

Police/Firemen's Pay

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the pay at 2006 prices was of  (a) a leading fireman and  (b) a police constable in each year since 1976.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Regeneration Projects

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the letter of 20 May 2005 from the hon. Member for Sunderland, South and the response from her predecessor of 7 June 2005, what conclusions have been reached by the Local Community Centre Task Force on the future viability of projects whose single regeneration budget funding is coming to an end; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Local Community Sector Task Force is expected to put forward its report in the next few weeks.

Security Passes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many departmental security passes were issued by her Department in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government was formed on 5 May 2006. In the year April 2005 to March 2006 a total of 1,497 new and replacement permanent building passes were issued for staff, contractors and consultants working in the London HQ buildings of its predecessor Department the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Small Business Rate Relief

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Government's forecast is for the take-up rate of small business rate relief in each of the next three years.

Phil Woolas: On the basis of returns completed by local authorities before the start of the current financial year, an estimated 390 million is expected to be claimed in small business rate relief for 2005-06, the first year in which the scheme has been operating. Applications for small business rate relief may be made up to six months after the end of the financial year to which the application relates, or six months from notification of an alteration to a rateable value that makes the hereditament eligible for relief. The amount of small business rate relief estimated for 2006-07 is due to be announced shortly, although no forecast has yet been made for years beyond that.

Standards Board for England

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if the Government will abolish the Standards Board for England.

Phil Woolas: The Government have no plans to abolish the Standards Board for England. Our proposals for the future of the local government conduct regime, set out in our Discussion Paper of15 December 2005, are that the Standards Board should continue to play an important strategic role at the heart of the conduct regime.

Super Output Areas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many super output areas there are in England in the Index of Multiple Deprivation; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: There are 32,482 Lower Layer Super Output Areas (SOA) in England. Each SOA has an average population of 1,500 people. SOAs are generally smaller than wards (wards vary in size from 800 to 35,000 people) and have been designed to 10 to 20 years. These SOAs allow us to better identify where small pockets of deprivation exist in otherwise affluent areas and therefore permit us to better target our resources to areas with the greatest need.

HEALTH

Herceptin

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on Government policy on the prescription of Herceptin for early stage breast cancer.

Caroline Flint: It is for individual clinicians, in discussion with patients, to consider whether to prescribe Herceptin. Primary care trusts may need to consider whether to support this decision and supply the drug at NHS expense. We have made clear to primary care trusts that they should not rule out treatments on principle and that they should not refuse to fund Herceptin solely on the grounds of its cost.

Herceptin

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she defines exceptional circumstances with regard to the prescription of Herceptin to patients with early stage breast cancer; and whether she has issued guidelines to primary care trusts on the definition.

Rosie Winterton: My right. hon. Friend, The Secretary of State confirmed in issue 294 of the Chief Executive's bulletin that primary care trusts (PCTs) should not rule out treatments on principle but consider individual circumstances. How PCTs choose to consider individual circumstances is a matter for local determination. It would not be appropriate for Ministers to dictate, or prejudge, the factors that might properly be taken into account by a PCT in assessing each case, beyond advising against refusals solely on the grounds of cost. My right. hon. Friend has not, and has no plans to, issue further guidance in this matter.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve treatment for sufferers of myalgic encephalopathy.

Ivan Lewis: The 8.5 million funding for the development of new services we announced in 2002 has secured significant improvements in the care ofpeople with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in England.
	However, it is the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that local services continue to meet the needs of people with CFS/ME.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support her Department gives to young people with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Ivan Lewis: We recognise that young people can be profoundly affected by chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	The CFS/ME Exemplar, 'Megan's Journey', we published in 2004, embodies the commitment we made in the children and young people's national service framework, to deliver better services for children and young people, which are tailored to meet their particular needs.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will prepare contingency plans for circumstances where primary care trusts reduce provision of services for myalgic  (a) encephalomyelitis and  (b) encephalopathy;
	(2)  what support her Department provides for those so severely affected by myalgic  (a) encephalomyelitis and  (b) encephalopathy they are (i) bed and (ii) house bound.

Ivan Lewis: In January 2004, funding of8.5 million was announced for specialist services for those living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). This funding was specifically intended to cover the costs of setting-up services where none already existed.
	The national service framework for long-term conditions (NSF) sets out a clear vision of how health and social care organisations can improve the quality, consistency and responsiveness of their services and help improve the lives of people with neurological conditions, including CFS/ME. National health service organisations are expected to demonstrate that they are making progress towards achieving the level of service quality described in the NSF.
	We have no plans to introduce contingency plansfor the provision of CFS/ME services. It is the responsibility of local health bodies to meet the health and social care needs of their local population. The Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection may undertake performance reviews to assess progress on local implementation of the NSF.

Acute Hospital (West Cumbria)

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the plans for a new acute hospital in west Cumbria.

Rosie Winterton: Following consultation in 2005 the Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority gave its approval earlier this year to the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to develop a strategic outline case for a new build hospital for west Cumbria.

Oculists

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will increase the payment oculists receive for carrying out eye tests to the level paid in Scotland.

Caroline Flint: Negotiations on the fee for NHS sight tests in England for 2006-07 are under way. The fee for 2006-07 will be announced once these negotiations are concluded.

Dental Services

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on access to dental treatment for patients with severe learning difficulties in  (a) Scarborough and Whitby and  (b) England.

Rosie Winterton: Dental care for patients with severe learning difficulties is usually provided by dentists working in the local salaried primary care services. I understand that Scarborough Whitby and Ryedale Primary Care Trust have made provision for this treatment through the salaried dental service covering North Yorkshire.

NHS Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many front-line staff there were in the NHS in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The number of front-line staff has increased from around 885,000 in 1997 to around 1,144,000 in 2005. This is an increase of around 259,000 or 29 per cent.
	This includes an increase of over 33,000 (37 per cent.) doctors, an increase of over 85,000 qualified nurses (27 per cent.) and an increase of over 38,000 (40 per cent.) qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff.

Broomfield Hospital PFI

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Broomfield hospital private finance initiative scheme will be approved.

Andy Burnham: As the Prime Minister told the hon. Member for West Chelmsford last week, the Department of Health's PFI review team visited the trust recently. Progress has generally been good. There are a number of commercial and contractual issues which the trust and its private sector partner now need to focus on and resolve so that the Department can look at the final fully costed proposals and their long term affordability. We expect this work to take approximately six months.

Life Expectancy (Women)

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impactof  (a) diet and  (b) alcohol consumption on life expectancy for women.

Caroline Flint: Female life expectancy increased from 79.8 years in 1997 to 80.9 years in 2003. We have not made a separate assessment on the impact of diet or alcohol on the life expectancy of women.
	It is widely recognised that eating a healthy balanced diet can contribute to a number of positive health outcomes, and eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could lead to an estimated reduction of up to 20 per cent. in overall deaths from chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.
	We know that alcohol misuse is associated with between 15,000 and 22,000 deaths each year. In 2001 the number of women dying from illnesses directly attributable to alcohol was 2,170 compared with 3,800 male deaths. The Government published the alcohol harm reduction strategy in March 2004 in order to address alcohol related harm.

Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the financial position of the Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority.

Caroline Flint: The 2005-06 month six forecast for Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority indicates an 80.7 million overspend. Achieving financial stability is one of the most challenging issues the national health service in Surrey and Sussex faces. To assist financial recovery, turnaround teams have been working with the SHA to help those trusts facing the greatest financial problems.

Communication Aids

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's policy is on the provision of and funding for spares and replacements for communication aids.

Ivan Lewis: It is for local primary care trustsand councils to provide and fund spares and replacements for communication aids through their local arrangements.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the private finance initiative on progress in delivering the Pathway project for university hospitals of Leicester NHS trust.

Andy Burnham: On 10 May, university hospitals of Leicester NHS trust issued a press release announcing revised proposals to their PFI scheme. We welcome these proposals which we understand fully reflect guidance published in January this year requiring all major PFI schemes to revisit their capital costs in the light of the current reforms to the NHS.
	These new proposals are expected to be submitted shortly to the Department for formal approval.

Nurses (Child Care Costs)

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance is provided for child care costs for student nurses.

Ivan Lewis: In 2004-05, support for child care was extended to national health service students in the form of the NHS bursary child care allowance. The Department of Health provided 7 million in 2004-05, and 17.8 million in 2005-06 to meet the full cost of applications.

Agenda for Change

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to monitor  (a) the number of appeals against the implementation of Agenda for Change and  (b) the time taken for these appeals to be resolved; how many appeals have (i) been heard and (ii) not yet been resolved, broken down by  (A) major staff group and  (B) NHS organisation; what proportion of resolved appeals was upheld; and how long on average it has taken for an appeal to be resolved.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The continued monitoring of the number of reviews under agenda for change is being managed by the NHS Employers organisation and the outcomes are reported to the NHS Staff Council, which has representation from both the management and staff side perspectives. They are currently collecting data on the review position.

Cancer

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance to primary care trusts that cost should not be the factor that decides whether women with third and fourth stages of cancer should have access to the latest drugs, and that decisions should be based on recommendations of specialists and doctors.

Rosie Winterton: I have no plans to issue such guidance.
	While it is down to individual clinicians, in discussion with a patient, to decide whether or not it is suitable to prescribe a specific drug, primary care trusts (PCTs) may also need to be involved to decide whether to support the clinician's decision and supply the drug at the national health service's expense. PCTs need to take a range of factors into account, including local factors, when considering the funding of drugs and other treatments. It would not be appropriate to dictate, or prejudge, the factors that PCTs might properly take into account.

Cancer

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the planned level of funding is for each of the remaining years of the 2000 10-year Cancer Plan.

Rosie Winterton: We do not hold information centrally on planned levels of funding on cancer services, however around 3.4 billion was spent on cancer services in 2003-04 and this increased to around 3.8 billion in 2004-05. National health service funding is allocated to primary care trusts to meet the health needs of their local population, who in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for cancer services.

Childhood Diseases

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of children with  (a) asthma,  (b) diabetes,  (c) Down's Syndrome,  (d) epilepsy,  (e) visual impairment,  (f) hearing impairment and  (g) autism, broken down by ethnic group.

Ivan Lewis: We have made no estimates of the number of children, broken down by ethnic group, living with asthma, diabetes, Down's syndrome, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairments, and autism.
	The Department, in collaboration with the information centre for health and social care and NHS Employers, issued updated guidance to the national health service on ethnic monitoring in July 2005 that emphasised the importance of collecting, analysing and using data on the ethnic group of both NHS patients and staff.

Children's Health Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list school nursing teams which provide drop-in clinics in schools.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Choose and Book System

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much will  (a) a GP and  (b) a GP practice be paid for each hospital appointment booked through the new Choose and Book system;
	(2)  what payments are made to  (a) GPs and (b) GP practices for registering with the Choose and Book system for arranging hospital appointments for their patients; and what financial incentives are offered for using the system;

Ivan Lewis: holding answers 25 April and 2 May 2006
	Revisions to the general medical service (GMS) contract from 1 April 2006-07 include a reward for general practitioner (GP) practices, through a directed enhanced service (DES), for utilisation of the choose and book service and for delivering choice to patients. No payments are made to GPs or GP Practices purely for choose and book registration.
	The full value of DES is 96p per registered patient and comprises two equal components, one for choice (48p) and one for choose and book (48p). Half of the choice component, worth 24p will be made as an aspiration payment to those GP practices who make a written commitment to ensure that choice is offered to relevant patients. The remaining half, also worth 24p, will be paid based on the results of a new survey of patient experience.
	Half of the choose and book component, worth 24p, will be made as an aspiration payment to those GP practices who make a written commitment to utilising the choose and book system. Practices that make at least 25 per cent. of their referrals to first consultant out-patient appointments through choose and book by the end of June 2006, will be allowed to keep this payment. The other half, also worth 24p, will be payable on a sliding scale if referrals through choose and book reach 50 per cent. in the period 1 September 2006 to 28 February 2007.
	Full details of how the DES will be paid are available in Revisions to the GMS contract 2006/07: Delivering investment in general practice, published by the NHS Employers Organisation and the British Medical Association's general practitioners committee, and is available in the Library and at www.nhsemployers.org.

Demographic Trends

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account her Department takes of demographic trends in determining local provision of  (a) obstetrics and gynaecology,  (b) paediatrics and  (c) geriatric services.

Ivan Lewis: It is the responsibility of health professionals in primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission obstetric and gynaecology, paediatrics and geriatric services locally, taking account of current and forecast need for services and in consultation with stakeholders.
	Revenue allocations are made to PCTs on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. The weighted capitation formula is used to determine PCTs' target shares of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need.
	The components of the formula are used to weight each PCT's crude population according to their relative need (age, and additional need) for healthcare and the unavoidable geographical differences in the cost of providing healthcare.
	The age related need adjustments recognise that more elderly populations tend to make more use of health services than the rest of the population. The additional need adjustments identify several socio-economic variables as indicators of need because of their effect on utilisation, including standardised mortality ratios, the proportion of low birthweight babies born and the standardised birth ratio.

Departmental IT

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of whether her Department is adequately updating its information and communications technology infrastructure in line with the Gershon report's recommendations.

Caroline Flint: The national programme for information technology, which is being delivered by the NHS Connecting for Health agency, is creating a multi-billion pound information infrastructure that will enable national health service patients to make informed health choices and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of clinicians and other NHS staff, as envisaged in the Gershon report. The foundations have been laid, and the organisational and commercial infrastructure established, to deploy the systems the NHS needs. Implementation has grown substantially in recent months, and its impact is now evident across the NHS.
	New systems have already been delivered to thousands of locations in the NHS, and we estimate that over 2 million patients have already received improved and safer care as a result. This figure is increasing every week as the deployment of new systems and services accelerates. For example, a quarter of a million patients have now booked their hospital appointments using the choose and book electronic booking system and three quarters of a million prescriptions have been transmitted using the electronic prescriptions service.

Fingerprints

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has issued guidance to general practitioners on the use of fingerprints as a compulsory personal identifier for patients; and whether she has taken steps to discourage the use of fingerprints for this purpose.

Caroline Flint: No guidance on the use of fingerprints has been issued and there are no plans for using fingerprints as compulsory identifiers for patients. The Department is not aware of any general practitioners (GPs) having adopted this practice as a prerequisite for care provision, and would not find this acceptable. Some GPs, do however, provide facilities for patients to review the content of electronic health records and systems that enable this, for example the patient access electronic record system (PAERS), may use fingerprint biometrics to ensure that patients can only access their own records and not those of other patients. While the opportunity to review records in this way is generally welcomed by patients, patients are not compelled to use this sort of service and are legally entitled to be provided with paper copies of their records if they would prefer.

General Practice Boundaries

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to permit general practices to extend their boundaries so that they cut across  (a) primary care trust and  (b) local authority social services boundaries.

Caroline Flint: The existing contractual arrangements for general practice allow practices to extend their areas, including potentially across other administrative boundaries. The White Paper Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services recognises this and commits us to explore ways of supporting practices who wish to expand, thereby increasing patient choice. This will form part of continuing discussions with the British Medical Association.

Health Treatment Centres

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much and what percentage of the total payment made by the NHS to private sector companies awarded contracts to operate independent sector treatment centres is accounted for by  (a) the cost of the operations performed and  (b) an additional premium, broken down by (i) company and (ii) centre.

Ivan Lewis: The amounts paid to independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) providers are to cover the cost of providing all elements of the care pathway defined in the contract.
	Value for money has been ensured by running a robust and competitive procurement process, benchmarking procedure prices between contracts and comparing them to those traditionally paid to the national health service and also to estimates of NHS equivalent costs. The premium to NHS equivalent cost is calculated only to provide a benchmark.
	The amounts paid to individual independent sector providers are commercially sensitive and so cannot be disclosed. Local primary care trusts do not pay above the estimated NHS equivalent cost for the procedures they commission from ISTCs. Any cost above the NHS equivalent cost is currently met by the Department.

Healthcare Commission

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for a complaint against the NHS to be processed by the Healthcare Commission in the last period for which figures are available; and what the average cost of dealing with a complaint was in that period.

Andy Burnham: The Healthcare Commission assumed responsibility for the independent review stage of national health service complaints at the end of July 2004. Between then and the end of March 2006 the Commission received 13,400 cases. This compares with about 3,000 a year under the previous, NHS system.
	The chairman of the Healthcare Commission has informed me that the average time between receipt and closure for cases closed in April 2006 was seven months. The average age of currently open cases is7.5 months. The chairman of the Commission has also confirmed that its budget for dealing with complaints in 2005-06 was 7.99 million. The Commission resolved 7,400 cases that year at an average costof 1,079.

Hospital Closures

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the potential impact on patient choice of the closure of local hospitals.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 April 2006
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) commission the menu of four or more providers from which patients may choose, where clinically appropriate, when referred by their general practitioner to planned hospital care. We expect PCTs to discuss the options with patient groups before deciding which to make available. If a local hospital were to close, the PCT must ensure that it has commissioned an appropriate alternative provider to include on its choice menu to ensure that patients are still able to choose from four or more providers when referred.
	By 2008, we expect choice of hospital in these communities to be extended to all national health service hospitals. Any closures of local hospitals is likely to have little impact on the availability of alternatives for patient choices.

IT Reviews

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the functions to be delivered by the National Programme for IT; and what the  (a) start date,  (b) planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each function.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 9 May 2006
	The national programme was established with four original core componentsthe NHS care records service (NHS CRS); the electronic booking service, now knownas choose and book; electronic transmission of prescriptions, now known as the electronic prescription service (EPS); and the new national network (N3). Delivery now also includes the following additional components: picture archiving and communications systems (PACS); the NHSmail e-mail service; and the quality management and analysis system (QMAS). The objective of the programme is to transform health care in England by the provision of pervasive digital information.
	There is no single national start or completion date for individual national programme systems and services. The aim is to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England under the national programme by 2010. Clearly, systems will need to be upgraded in the light of new technology and new national health service requirements beyond that date. The approach, in line with best practice, is to implement new services incrementally, avoiding a big bang approach, and by providing increasingly richer functionality over time.
	The first elements of the NHS care records service, to provide a transaction messaging service, a personal demograhics service, a spine directory service and secure access controls via smartcards, went live on time and to budget on 2 July 2004. The software to support choose and book is complete and went live on time and to budget, also on 2 July 2004. The software to introduce QMAS in support of the general medical services contract went live on time and to budget in August 2004 and was fully rolled out within three months, supporting payments to 100 per cent. of general practitioners (GPs) under the quality outcomes framework every month since then. The software to allow electronic prescriptions to be issued went live on time and to budget in February 2005. N3 is ahead of schedule and over 96 per cent. of GPs now have a broadband connection.
	The first PACS system under the programme was implemented in April 2005 and 31 systems have been implemented to date with over 25 million digital images stored. In the south of England, the infrastructure is complete and over 50 per cent. of hospitals have PACS systems. NHSmail was implemented on time in October 2004 and currently has over 170,000 registered users sending 500,000 e-mails per day and 70 million to date. The establishment of an accredited software integration environment is complete and has enabled existing system suppliers of GP, hospital, pharmacy and independent sector systems to gain compliance with the new national and local applications.
	The values of centrally-funded contracts let for the original core components of the programme are as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 NHS CRS (including Spine and EPS) 620 
			 Choose and book 64.5 
			 N3 530 
		
	
	Contract values, and actual/current anticipated expenditure for the additional components are:
	
		
			million 
			 PACS 850 
			 NHSmail(1) Between 50 and 90(2) 
			 QMAS(3) 4.4 
			 (1) The NHSmail contract value is variable because it is a voluntary service to offer secure, encrypted e-mail with a lifelong e-mail address. The lower amount is based on a reasonable expectation of moderate take-up and is in line with current predictions. The higher figure is the maximum possible take-up by all NHS staff with access to a computer. (2 )Depending on take-up. (3) QMAS was negotiated as an additional service under the NHS CRS contract. The figure quoted is for the initial version of the application software. Additional releases of the software have been and will continue to be commissioned to reflect further changes in the general medical services contract. 
		
	
	For the avoidance of doubt, none of the relevant budgets managed by the Department's NHS Connecting for Health agency have been exceeded. Anticipated expenditure under these contracts remains at planned levels.

IT Reviews

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the pilot programmes that have been set up for the National Programme for IT.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 9 May 2006
	Extensive work was carried out during the 1990s to pilot electronic patient records through the health infomatics system (HIS) programme. This contributed to the publication, in 1998, of the Department's information for health strategy. Following publication, the Department piloted electronic records at 16 sites across the country under the electronic records demonstrator and implementation programme. Each project had its own focus, for example record sharing and confidentiality, and joint working between health and social care.
	A series of outputs, evaluations and guidance reports from these projects, supplemented by lessons learned from projects in other countries, including the European Commission's advanced informatics in medicine programme, contributed to the specification of the NHS Care Records Service. A key purpose of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) was to enable the benefit from the projects to be shared across the whole country.
	During the early stages of the NPfIT procurement process, an electronic patient record pilot study with IBM at Warwick investigated primary care trust-level information gathering and reporting. Also during the procurement phase, detailed technical design studies were carried out and each supplier had to complete a series of proof of solution tests to ensure that they understood the national health service's requirements.
	Further trialling of NPfIT systems is always undertaken at user sites and in user-based environments to pilot usability before rollout. Systems are only made available locally after successfully passing through extensive national testing phases. For example, both the quality management and analysis system for general practice, and the system to support payment by results, operated in shadow form for a number of months before going live.
	All this activity is in line with the recommendations of the 'Successful IT: Modernising Government in Action', to demonstrate that products work before they are deployed, and to avoid big bang implementations.

Mannitol

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the Department offers to pharmacists on the purchase and supply of Mannitol; what information the Department has received on its use in the preparation of cocaine; and if she will  (a) increase restrictions on its issue and  (b) make it a controlled pharmaceutical.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 27 April 2006
	None. As far as licensed medicinal products are concerned, Mannitol is available as an intravenous infusion and is a prescription only medicine which means that pharmacists may only dispense it against a prescription issued by an appropriate practitioner. Mannitol is also used widely as an excipient, that is an inactive ingredient, by the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of other medicinal products.
	There is an established mechanism to allow proper consideration of making drugs of misuse controlled. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, the expert body that advises Ministers, is made aware of problems posed by specific drugs, or where they are requested by Ministers to consider a specific drug, they will undertake a detailed assessment of whether or not a substance ought to be controlled and make appropriate recommendations to Ministers.
	Adulterants and bulking agents mixed with controlled drugs are not usually considered for control where they are not psychoactive themselves or precursors to psychoactive drugs of misuse.

Mental Health

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times ambulances attended emergency mental health cases in Coventry South in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mental Health

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the status of each of the five former mental hospital sites in Epsom.

Andy Burnham: Of the five former mental hospitals in Epsom, The Manor, Long Grove and Horton have been sold. They are or have been redeveloped predominantly for housing. The surplus parts ofSt. Ebba's and West Park Hospitals were included in a portfolio of properties that it has been agreed my Department would transfer to English Partnerships to assist in the Government's sustainable communities programme. Ownership has now transferred and it will be for English Partnerships to release the sites for development.

Neurological Conditions

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to recruit the  (a) consultant neurologists,  (b) specialist nurses and  (c) other staff required to fulfil the national service framework for long-term neurological conditions.

Ivan Lewis: Each national health service organisation is responsible for determining the work force it requires to implement the national service framework for long-term neurological conditions and for putting in place measures to recruit and develop the necessary staff.

NHS Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the effect on the expenditure of each NHS trust if directly employed staff had been used instead of agency staff in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 May 2006
	The appropriate use of agency staff and any potential level of saving through using directly employed staffis a matter for local determination. However, the17 million savings achieved in 2004-05, for nursing staff alone, from reduced use of agencies indicates that the national health service is starting to take advantage of the opportunities available through NHS Professionals and the Purchasing and Supply Agency's agency framework agreements.
	We anticipate continuing savings in agency expenditure but recognise that regional variations mean the balance between use of permanent and temporary staff will differ across NHS trusts.

NHS Finance

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial position the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust inherited at its inception.

Rosie Winterton: The Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority has reported that the historic deficit when the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust was established in October 2003 was in the region of 4.1 million. By the start of 2004-05, this had risen to the figure of 7 million following in-year deficits recorded in 2003-04.

NHS Finance

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the year-end gross NHS deficit for the 2005-06 financial year.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to thereply I gave the hon. Member for Southend, West(Mr. Amess) earlier today.

NHS IT Programme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect on competition between potential and current providers to the NHS information technology programme of local service providers not publishing their application programmer interfaces; and what plans she has to require them to do so.

Caroline Flint: Technical standards for compliance with the national programme for information technology's systems are made routinely available to existing systems providers, as well as contracted national and local systems providers. This is the basis on which existing suppliers of general practitioner and secondary care systems have achieved compliance for the programme's key components. The same standards will apply to any new suppliers who enter the market, including those supporting the independent care sector.
	These arrangements were put in place as part of a commercial and organisational model for the national programme, designed to provide best value for money for the taxpayer. There are no current plans to change them.
	Under the terms of their agreements with NHS Connecting for Health, local service providers (LSPs) must meet very specific and exacting quality and delivery standards for their healthcare applications, including high levels of disaster recovery and fault tolerance. These could be put at risk if other providers' systems were able to connect freely to the LSP's applications without reference to the LSP, or without demonstrating compliance through NHS Connecting for Health's national integration centre.

NHS IT Programme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation was undertaken before the 2002 launch of the NHS IT programme.

Caroline Flint: A consultation document, Delivering 21st Century IT support for the NHS: National Specification for Integrated Care Records Serviceconsultation draft, issued in July 2002, outlined the requirements for a national patient care records service and the national standards and specification which would underpin it. Its purpose was to provide an initial review of electronic patient records and to describe a direction of travel for the whole range of information technology standards in the national health service. Nearly 200 responses were received from organisations and individuals, and these were taken into account in drawing up the specification for acare record service used in the procurements phase during 2003.
	In addition, in early 2002, the NHS Information Authority carried out research into possible new ways of managing the confidentiality of patient health information in the NHS. In conjunction with other data, and in the context of operational experience, the research findings were used as a basis for consultation which sought the views of patients, the wider public and medical professionals. Responses to the consultation were used to inform development of the new information systems.

NHS IT Programme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary ofState for Health what assessment she has made of the  (a) progress to date,  (b) prospective timetable for completion and  (c) value for money of the 30 billion expenditure on the NHS IT programme.

Caroline Flint: The national health service information technology (IT) programme has already implemented the quality management and analysis system (QMAS) into all 8,800 general practitioner practices; there are 170,000 registered users of the secure NHS e-mail service and 14,269 new national network broadband connections have been delivered that are available to serve around 400,000 NHS staff. Over 216,000 users have been authorised and registered for access to new national IT systems using secure smartcard technology. New IT systems are being implemented every week across the NHS. Progress is ahead of schedule in some areas, and, in the context of a 10-year programme, broadly on track in others. The aim is to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England by 2010.
	The aggregated buying power of the NHS has been demonstrated to purchase IT systems and services from suppliers at substantially more competitive rates than would ever have been possible for individual NHS organisations. Independent analysis suggests savings of over 3.8 billion.
	The contracts will cost 6.2 billion over 10 years, not 30 billion.

NHS IT Programme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the contribution of the  (a) timetables,  (b) progress and  (c) benefits of the NHS IT programme in delivering the aims of 'Commissioning a patient-led NHS'.

Caroline Flint: The national health service information technology programme focuses on improving patient safety, treatment and the patient experience. The new technology will revolutionise the way patient and health information is accessed and shared, making the right information available to the right people at the right time. As it is rolled out, the national programme will also ensure that significantly greater value can be achieved from baseline spending on health care as information begins to follow patients and improve efficiency. This is absolutely in line with the aims, timetable and progress of 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS'.

NHS IT Programme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the information technology systems for use  (a) by GPs and  (b) elsewhere in the NHS are predominantly organised in silos of information.

Caroline Flint: The new systems and services we are putting in place via the national programme for information technology, being delivered by the Department's NHS Connecting for Health agency, will allow information to follow the patient across and between primary and secondary care settings. They will ensure that the right information is available at the right time to the right people to provide treatment at the point of need. This has not been possible with systems previously implemented that were effectively silos of information usually limited to the site where they originated.
	For example, for the first time, records will be transferable between general practices; about 10 per cent. of registered patients move from one general practitioner practice to another each year.

NHS Trusts (Senior Executives)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure that the salary bands of the senior executives of all NHS trusts are made publicly available.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 May 2006
	This information is already included in the annual reports and accounts of national health service trusts, which are publicly available.

North West London Strategic Health Authority

Piara S Khabra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the net change in the numbers of  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses in the North West London Strategic Health Authority area has been since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The table shows the latest figures available for all national health service doctors and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses employed in the North West London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area as at 30 September each year from 1997 to 2005. This includes the change in numbers between 1997and 2005.
	
		
			  All NHS doctors and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses employed in the North West London Strategic Health Authority area as at 30 September ( 1)  each year 
			  headcount 
			   1997  2005  Change 1997-2005  Percentage change 1997-2005 
			 All doctors(2) 4,422 5,625 1,203 27.2 
			 Qualified nurses including practice nurses 12,602 16,708 4,106 32.6 
			 (1 )Practice nurse figures are as at 1 October for 1997 where 1997 data is estimated based on 2002 organisational structure. (2) Excludes hospital medical hospital practitioners and hospital medical clinical assistants, most of whom are general practitioners (GPs) working part time in hospitals and General Medical Practitioners retainers and registrars.  Sources: The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census The Information Centre for health and social care, general and personal medical services statistics The Information Centre for health and social care, medical and dental workforce statistics

Obesity

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of children in England are  (a) overweight and  (b) obese; what the targets are in relation to childhood obesity; and what assessment she has made of the progress made to date in achieving those targets.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Overweight and obesity prevalence among children aged 2 to 15 by sex in England in 2004 
			  Percentage 
			   Boys  Girls 
			 Overweight 13.9 16.6 
			 Obese 19.2 18.5 
			 Overweight, including obese 33.0 35.1 
			 Bases (weighted) 8833 8228 
			  Source: Health Survey for England, 2004 
		
	
	In July 2004, a public service agreement (PSA) target was set to halt the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole. Progress of the PSA on childhood obesity will be monitored through the Health Survey for England.

Patient Care Costs

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of  (a) a minor injuries unit patient episode and  (b) an urgent care centre patient episode was in 2004-05.

Caroline Flint: The average cost per attendance in a minor injuries unit in 2004-05 was 37. The average cost per attendance in a non-24 hour accident and emergency department/casualty department in 2004-05 was 32.

Primary Care Trusts

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what approval primary care trusts require from strategic health authorities for  (a) the disposal of buildings and land and  (b) the use of associated funds; at what stage in the disposal process strategic health authorities become involved; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether her Department allows primary care trusts to use the proceeds of disposed assets  (a) to fund the rent of additional buildings and  (b) for other purposes in connection with delivering healthcare; and if she will make a statement;

Rosie Winterton: National health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) have delegated limits for capital investment up to which they may make capital investment decisions without seeking approval from their strategic health authority (SHA) or from the Department. These limits vary between 1 million and 10 million, depending on the organisation's turnover from provider activities and performance in the latest star performance ratings.
	Purchases of fixed assets and sales of fixed assets such as land and buildings are dealt with in the same way. Beneath its delegated limit, the PCT can sell assets and reinvest the proceeds without the approval of its SHA. Above the delegated limit, the PCT must seekits SHA's approval both for the sale and to reinvest the proceeds. In many instances, SHAs will approve the reinvestment of the sale proceeds by the selling trust or PCT but the SHA retains the discretion to specify another use.
	Where the transaction is subject to SHA approval, there will generally be SHA involvement at outline business case, where the main principles and parameters are established and preferred options are chosen, and full business case, where the details of delivering the preferred option are agreed. Even where formal approval by the SHA is not required, NHS trusts and PCTs may wish to draw on their SHA's technical expertise in estate and capital matters.
	PCTs are required by statute to operate within resource limits (revenue and capital) set by the Department as part of PCTs funding allocations. PCTs may use their revenue resources for any revenue expenditure permitted in law, including the commissioning of healthcare and community services and payment of rents.
	The sale of a fixed asset, such as a building, gives rise to a capital receipt that is a fixed asset financed by capital in the balance sheet is converted to a cash asset financed by capital in the balance sheet. Except to the extent of any profit on disposal, there is no increase in the resources available to the PCT to spend on revenue costs such as rentals.
	As a consequence, the sale of a correctly valued fixed asset would not release funds that could be spent on rentals.
	For the above reasons, proceeds from the sale of fixed assets are usually reinvested in buying other fixed assets. Where there is no local capital investment requirement, the cash may be repaid to the Department as a repayment of capital.

Respite Care

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to encourage care homes and nursing homes to include emergency bed provision for respite care users.

Ivan Lewis: Councils are responsible for taking the needs and wishes of carers and those they care for into account when planning and commissioning services. If appropriate, councils may arrange for respite care to be provided in a care home, as long as this is in accord with the wishes and needs of service users.
	The Government introduced the carers grant in 1999 to support councils in providing breaks and services for carers in England. The grant has increased each year, from 20 million in 1999-2000 to 185 million in 2006-07.
	The Carers and Disabled Children's Act 2000 provides local authority social services departments with the option to run short-term break voucher schemes. Short-term break vouchers enable cared for people to make arrangements for the additional support they require when carers need a break.

Sexual Health Services

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to reduce barriers to access to sexual health services with particular reference to young people.

Caroline Flint: The Government recognise the disproportionate effect of poor sexual health on young people, and this was highlighted in both the national strategy for sexual health and HIV and the teenage pregnancy strategy, and subsequently highlighted in the 'Choosing Health' White Paper.
	Improving access to sexual health has been identified as a top priority for the national health service in the 'NHS in England: the Operating Framework for 2006-07' and all primary care trusts are now working towards providing access to genito-urinary medicine appointments within 48 hours. A national programme of screening for chlamydia, targeting 16 to 24-year-olds, will be rolled-out across the country by April 2007. A range of projects are also underway to inform the development of new models of service provision. These include HIV testing in community settings and one-stop shop services.
	The teenage pregnancy strategy encourages all young people to delay sex, but also seeks to ensure that they have access to contraceptive and sexual health advice if they are, or are thinking about becoming sexually activeto protect themselves against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Efforts to improve access to services focus on making sexual health services more young people-friendly and delivering them in non-traditional settings, such as schools, colleges and Connexions one-stop-shops.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what  (a) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines,  (b) national service frameworks and  (c) NHS care protocols exist for the care and treatment of spinal cord injured people;
	(2)  what longitudinal data is collected by her Department on the care and treatment of spinal cord injured people within  (a) spinal cord injury centres and  (b) general and district facilities.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 15 May 2006
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not issued specific guidance on the care and treatment of spinal cord injuries.
	The national service framework for long-term conditions is specifically concerned with improving the health and social care needs of those living with long-term neurological conditions, including those with spinal injuries.
	The Department does not collect longitudinal data on the care and treatment of spinal cord injuries.